Memories of Me
by Resting-Madness
Summary: Zeo's never wondered about himself... His real self. He's got his life, his friends, his love. But, happening upon a journal in his bedroom, he's thrust into a life he's never known about himself. All pairings R/K T/M but focuses on Zeo and Ozuma.
1. Music Stinks

Disclaimers: I don't own beyblade in any way shape or form. And I make no money with this work of fiction- duh.

Claimer: The plot. Any Original Characters and what not.

A.N: I'm not sure when I can update this because I'm doing two other stories so, I hope you'll be patient and enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading and leaving a review if you wanna.

"I can't believe I have another recital this week. Are those people trying to make me crazy? They know I have to start my beyblade training for the worlds, and they bring up all these stupid music test." Zeo kicks a rock farther up the dirt road. "I'd like to know why the heck I started playing violin in the first place."

The young blader has been complaining since he left the music hall. He told his father he wanted to walk home rather than have their driver pick him up. He slumps his shoulders, in defeat, over the way the rest of the week is mapping out for him.

"Not to mention the others are all at Tyson's today, and they're probably having the best time."

A group of kids went laughing past him; carrying on about their blading skills, and who had a shot in the city tournament that's coming up. Zeo can remember wanting that. He used to watch the broadcasts on TV; beaming at all the talented bladers he's seen.

But, blading is as far back as he can remember. Being a cyborg, he only has the memories his father set into him about who he used to be, and memories of things that are going on with him now. Zeo often wondered about the past, but decided not to dwell in it. _He's_ here now, and he's happy, and he has friends. Life could not be better.

Looking up when a shadow blotted his path, a smile breaks out on his face. "Kai!"

The Russian blader looked up at the sound of his name, smiling when he sees Zeo. Since meeting him, Kai has changed quiet a bit; for one thing he's taller, he wears a scarf almost all the time, and he's grown his hair out quit a bit- it dips so much between his shoulder blades now.

"Hey Zeo. What are you doing out here? I thought you were staying home today." He stops in his tracks when they get up to each other.

"Naah, I had to do the violin thing today." He raises the case that's, for today's mood swing, is hanging lovelessly at his side. "But what about you? I thought you were hanging out at Tyson's today?" He brushed a bit of wind-blown hair from the side of his face with his free hand.

"It got old," he shrugged. "So I'm heading home."

"Oh. Is Ozuma still over there?" He turns on his heels when Kai begins to move past him.

"Yeah. But its getting pretty late, he might be leaving soon, too." He waves over his shoulder indicating that the conversation is done on his end.

_I should go over there after I drop this off._ Thinks the blue haired boy. _Maybe I could stay over if some of the other guys are!_ Happy with his plan, he hurries home as fast as his legs will carry him.

...

"Aaah, master Zeo. Glad that you've arrived." Says William, the butler. "Your father is in the study, and would like to see you."

"Oh boy, Dad's home!" He cheered, before he realized what the man had said. "Uh-oh... He _wants_ to see me," he is saying to himself as he walks to his father's study. "I wonder what its about. He never usually wants anything."

The young teen walks through the large living room taking a left past the dining room, and a right past the second living room to where his father's study is located; the door is slightly open, which Zeo doesn't find inviting in the least.

Smoothing his hair out, he adjust his shirt then checked his breath. Something about his father always made him feel like he had to seek his approval, but that could just be an itch.

"Come in Zeo." The man grumbled from behind the door. "I can see you between the crack."

The boy yelped at being unknowingly caught; shoving the doors open he greets his father with a smile. "I went to practice like you told me. We did an awesome job." He walks closer. "Mrs. Nakano said that I'm really improving to become a master."

"Is that why she sent me this in the mail?" He asks.

"What in the mail?" He walks closer.

His father opened the letter reading it aloud to his son. Zeo can't believe he would embarrass him this way; but at least he doesn't have his friends with him, like that one time when they all came over for a swim and his Dad shoved them out because he and his men had to work.

He didn't even do it in a classy way, he just said: "Zeo keep it down, and tell your friends the party is over." I mean what is that?!

"Dr. Zagart, although Zeo is a fine violinist it seems that he has been lacking in terms of learning the new music that the class is assigned to play. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with his home life being too busy, or if he's simply putting it off. But if he is to participate in this weeks recital, we ask that you sit him down for some much needed practice. Sincerly, Chizura Nakano." Dr. Zagart lowered the letter, then looked at his son with disappointment. "Care to explain?"

Zeo couldn't really explain it without ratting on himself. He has been putting off violin, but its only so he can practice blading with the guys. But for his teacher to send a letter? That's just sneaky on her part.

"But Daaad; you know how it is when you have other things going on. Nationals are coming up, and now that I'm finally allowed to blade again I wanna make sure that I'm really good so I can win." He balls his fist in determination. "I wanna be in the big leagues like Tyson; I wanna get my name up on posters and said on tv."

"Zeo, blading is fine but there comes a time when a boy your age needs to learn how to balance two things in life." The man's voice is walking on the edge of pissed and somewhat understanding, or maybe Zeo is just hopeful. "I want you to get upstairs and practice that piece, because tomorrow you're going to perform it at a dinner gathering I'm having with some clients." He smiled knowing that that should light a fire under his son's feet.

"By tomorrow? But that's not fair!" He complained.

"What's not fair is letting down your entire class because you can't keep up with them. What's not fair is embarrassing the family by screwing up on a simple solo." With a wave of his hand he insist that he go.

Zeo's face scrunched up. How can his father treat him like this? "I'd like to see _him_ play this stupid thing..." He mutters in his exit.

It isn't that he doesn't care about playing, he actually doesn't mind, and he sometimes plays for Ozuma and the guys... but this is the _nationals_ he's training for, not some small city thing. Parents never understand.

When the young teen reached his bedroom he walked over to the stereo. Digging through his dresser he reveals a tape from under his boxers; slipping it into the machine he presses 'play' and shortly after, out comes the sound of one of his pre-recorded practices that he taped out in the woods.

That should keep his father guessing while he practices his blading skills. Tossing the instrument onto the shelf, he has to give it an extra shove since it seems that it got stuck on something just out of his view.

Hopping onto his bed he lays on his back taking a few relaxing deep breaths. He hadn't realized just how exhausted he was until he actually laid down. _Being in the band is bad for your health. I can't believe Mrs. Nakano told on me like that. I could have improved by the end of the week; what does she know._ Reaching over for his phone, he picks it up from the base then quickly dials the Granger dojo. After a few rings the phone is answered.

"Hello, this is Tyson the champ speaking- who may I ask is calling?"

"Tyson," he said in exasperation. "It's me, Zeo."

"Huh? Oh, hey Ze'." His voice lower a bit in bravado or volume, when he spoke with the phone away from his mouth to the others. "Guys, it's Zeo."

"Tell him I said, hey."

"Hey Max!" He greets the boy.

"Zeo says what's up?" Says the world champ

"How did he hear me so quickly?"

"I've got you on speaker."

Confusion melted from his tone. "Oh."

"What's the noise in the background? Are you washing a cat or something?"

Blushing, he said very matter-of-factly. "No! It's me practicing for this weeks recital, and it isn't a cat being bathed; its Mastroyiannis. I'm gonna be playing something of his for my solo."

"Mastro- what? Sounds painful."

"Yeah, yeah." He and Tyson always engage in this kind of banter, it was becoming 'their thing'. "Is Ozuma still there, can you put him on?"

"He's in the kichen with Rei; they're helping Grandpa make dinner."

Max must have taken the phone, since he came in a lot louder this time. "We all were actually, but we heard the phone ringing and came to answer it."

"I'm the taste tester." Prided the hungry teen.

Zeo can see his friends so clearly; the two of them sharing the speaker between them. "I wish I was over there with you guys."

"So why not come over? You said you have a tape playing, how long is it?"

Zeo looks at his stereo. "About two hours."

"That's plenty of time," his voice cracks a bit. "Bring your beyblade, we can work out before dinner."

"Okay."

"Zeo?"

His smile beamed for miles. The brightness of it could bring vision back to the blind. "Ozuma! I wanted to ask you if you could watch me play this weekend?" He sits up a bit more, as though he had to have perfect posture for the one he loves. "My dad can come get you."

"I can probably make it." He replies.

Ozuma's voice is always so casual and controlled. Ozuma would make a great negotiator, if he wanted to be.

"Great! I'm gonna sneak over there in a minute; I just need to grab Cerberus." His gaze went over to the shelf where he put the blade.

That's probably what stopped-up his case. Now he'd have to get a chair to reach it. His father gave him some new limbs so that he can grow with the rest of his friends- it was no big deal, its about the same thing as when you have prostetics and they need to be changed out whenever you grow so you don't wobble when you walk, or make your arms uneven.

"See you later, Zeo." Says Ozuma before hanging up.

Walking over to the dresser in his bedroom, he can't help but smile at all the things he's put up since he became aware of how bare his room was. He has posters on the wall of Tyson and the others, pictures of himself and his friends- both individual and group shots- tons of him and Ozuma. A band he likes, and knick-knacks of all kinds.

A pair of roller blades, that he never uses, sit under the windowseat that has a space for what Zeo could guess was a drawer or something. But his destination was for the chair at his desk. He dragged it over to the closet then stood up on it to see better on top of the shelf.

It seems that his instrument case hit something else, because his blade was still in the front where he left it. Looking closer, he notices a small chunk of the wall has been moved; its too even to be a hole so what could it be?

"What the?" Reaching up for it, he moves it over and finds a small book inside. It reads: 'Diary' across the front. _Could this be...?_

...

Zeo stood atop the chair for what seemed like days in his mind. He is clutching the book so hard its a wonder his fingernails haven't broken clean off, or the cover hasn't started to rip.

_This is really... It's in my room, so...It must be... Mine._

Stepping down from the chair, he walked over to his bed taking a seat. Swallowing hard; Zeo looks at the lock on the book.

_Oh see, it's locked. Guess I can't look in it after all._ His hands are still holding it so tightly that he can feel a lump making his fingers a bit uneven with the hard cover.

The young boy has to raise it above his head to see what is on the bottom, because he can't seem to let the object go. There's a place on the back that looks out-of-sorts, and behind it is a little lump; the key is taped to the back of it under what seems to be a piece of construction paper matching the maroon color of the book! Not very clever but just like him, if he could say so.

_But should I? I'll be intruding, and I don't wanna..._

His heart is pounding so loudly its all he can hear, even over the sound of his broken playing on the stereo. Swallowing again, he sits farther back on the bed, his eyes never leave the book within his hands.

Taking the key from the back, he sticks it into the lock hole; giving it a turn, Zeo's eyes pop open in surprise when the latch flips over. Placing the book down on the bed beside him, he gets up.

"I need a drink!" He declared to no one with a nervous laugh.

Running over to the stereo he pauses the tape; glad that he's still coherant enough to not blow his own cover. After going downstairs, he heads into the wide oldfashion looking kitchen to the fridge, where he pours a glass of punch.

After a second thought, he knew he could use some cookies; going into the pantry he pulls out a bag of oreo's, then heads back into his room. Setting down his snack, Zeo returns the music to the house, then sits on his bed.

_It's now or never._ Thinks the teen.

Picking up the book, he opens it; eyes skimming down the sloppy hand-writting, that was nothing like his own: very crips and perfected, he returns his gaze to the top and reads.


	2. When Was Reading A Bad Thing?

**I**_'m not really sure how to start one of these things. Do I mention the date somewhere? I thought it was your job to do that... I don't see one anywhere so I may as well do it. Today is 1994, 1 May. Sunday. My birthday! That's where I got you from, but you probably knew that since my mom picked you out for me._

I stopped reading right here. It was what Zeo said about my Mom; I never thought about her before. I mean, I knew that there had to be one because how else could Zeo have been born but, I never thought about her myself. Dad never keeps pictures of her in the house, I would have seen one by now and he never talks about her.

Chewing on my thumbnail carefully so not to shrivel it, I wonder about her; a possible out-look she may have, a birthmark that's similar to the one I have on my ankle, maybe our noses are alike? Shaking these thoughts away, I look down at the golden book I have in my hands.

_My party was great, but... I kinda I wish that I had real friends to invite to my party, rather than just asking the guys from music hall to come. The guys are great, sure, but a man needs friends that he made on his own. What's that diary? How old am I? Well can't you tell, I'm a whole seven years old today. But don't sweat it that you couldn't guess, I'm kinda short for my age. Dad says I'll grow out of it and he would know, he's a scientist._

Again I stop reading. Dad was able to come to Zeo's parties, but he's never once made it to any of mine. I can't help but feel really sad about something like that. I've lived for at least 2 years that I've been aware of, and all I've gotten out of my Dad was a gift that might not have even been picked out by him.

A sharp note that I hit in the recording jarred me from my moment. Blinking the confusion away, I look back down into the book.

_Enough of that on to the good stuff, what I got for my birthday: a tru-... maybe I should make a list instead? Yeah, that would probably be easier._

_1. A toy truck, those big Tonka models! (I got that from Shinabara)_

_2. A new tooth brush set ( Mr. Masterson- the butler) I roll my eyes at that but I really like the tooth brush, it has a dinosaur on the end and I get my own mouthwash with that._

_3. You, of course from mom- I think I'll give you a name sometime in the future._

_4. My own violin, that was from dad because I was renting one at first. He didn't want to buy something I wasn't good at just to have to replace it later on. I'm really liking lessons but sometime I just wanna hang out- Wait, I messed up a line, sometimeS I just wanna hang out and have fun._

I laugh at how he capitalized the 'S' incase it went unnoticed. Zeo has pretty good spelling for seven but his writing is sloppy, and some words are tough to make out at first. There are a couple of spelling mistakes like how he writes 'new' instead of 'knew' but I can read it correctly because I know that's what he was getting at.

_5. A pair of roller skates and an invite to the roller rink in Ginza with Matia's family. They're from Spain she says, but I think she's fibbing because I haven't the foggiest idea where a Spain is in Japan._

_6. I got a HUGE coloring set from Hitaro. He's an art student somewhere so I think he just gave me one of his many sets he has. Tisk, tisk._

_It's pretty late night right now about 7:45. I'm really burning the midnight oil by writing in you now, but I just wanted to get out my excitement of today._

Zeo completely abandoned the list of presents and went on to what was for dinner. Isn't that just like a kid, I smile.

_We had mashed potato's and a roast with sugar snap peas bleh! But then mom said we can have pizza and the grown-ups can eat what cook made. The pizza was great! I've never had crust like that before, its like they knew it was my birthday and they made sure to make it extra good. The toppings were shredded octopus and ham. It was so good! Chips and popcorn on the side- colored popcorn. Big jugs of soda- grape my favorite._

Bleh! I've never once liked octopus any of the times my Dad made me eat it. And he was seven?! Plus my favorite soda is Sprite. What a weird kid.

_The cake was chocolate, and we all had about three slices- and there's still a huge hunk left out of twelve kids! My dad goes big or not at all. Speaking of which, Mr. Masterson just knocked on the door. That means its time for bed because I have school tomorrow. Good night._

There's a knock on my door.

"Master Zeo, dinner is prepared." It's William. "Be sure to wash up before coming down."

"Okay."

I scramble from the bed to turn off my stereo. I don't want William coming in and catching me. I hadn't realized how late it was until he called me for dinner. Guess I'm not making it to Tyson's after all, but they'll be cool with it.

Meanwhile... Stepping back over to my bed, I snatched up the book to stick it back in its hiding place on the shelf. William always turns my bed down for the night, because after dinner I go straight into a bath.

I wonder if its always been this way; dinner, bath, then bed. Well, I'm a lot older than Zeo was so he probably actually had to go to bed, but I watch tv until I get tired; sometimes I call Ozuma. I bought him a cell so he and I can keep in touch.

It makes me wonder about his life, when I take in the fact that he lives in an old warehouse down by the peer. What happened to his family, and things like that? Other times he stays with Rei at the BBA training center, they have rooms there, and Mr. Dickenson doesn't mind the two of them being there at all so he's got good company. Ozuma tells me not to worry about him because he's not worried about it.

The cold water at the bathroom sink rinses over my soapy hands until they're foam free, I then ducked my head to take a drink from the faucet. Dad would have a fit if he saw me do this but the water up here is better than the stuff downstairs.

Pressing the button for the hand dryer, I wait out the length of time it takes for my hands to lose their moisture then I shake them vigorously, until I get downstairs to the dining room. Dad isn't there. He's in his office, or maybe he left to the labs again. We have labs downstairs on the first floor- which is actually the basement, but I'm not allowed anywhere near there except for when I need certain things done.

There was this one time when me and the guys were outside at the beach and I kinda shut off- its weird, I don't remember anything about it except for waking up with the sight of all my friends crying and asking me if I'm ok.

"Your father would like for you to go over your French homework, once you're done with your meal." Says William setting a plate for me.

I find it strange that I get hungry, and need to use the bathroom. My Dad explained it all to me, but that's a lot of stuff I can't begin to fully understand. I just know that my dad says he made a huge breakthrough with me!

I'm happy for that in some ways, in others I'm just confused and curious.

Dinner was good but I ended up using too much gravy on my rice so I had to get extra to balance it out, and over eating sucks. Gulping down the rest of my apple juice, I set the glass down with a refreshing 'Aaahh', thank William, then dash upstairs to take a quick bath and get back to reading.

...

"What happened Zeo? I thought you were coming over to Tyson's," asks Ozuma; the reception is a little cracked, I think he may be walking on the streets. "You couldn't sneak out?"

"Oh no, I could've snuck out! But, I lost track of time." The water swirls with the circles my hand is making.

"You lost track of time just sitting in your room?" He asks quizically.

"No. I was reading." I smiled at my secret finding.

"Oh."

"Are you still at Tyson's?"

He seemed to be gone for a minute but then he came back on. "I'm on my way home with Rei."

I told you sometimes he stays with him. "Tell him I said, hi." It's silent for a moment then he says the message was given. "Thanks. I have to go now, I need to get dressed and look over my language homework before bed."

"Okay. Are you coming over tomorrow?"

"Yeah, hopefully my dad won't force me to practice again."

"Bye Zeo."

"See ya. Bye Rei!" I shout so he can hear me.

I hope Ozuma saw it coming, and moved the phone before I burst his eardrum or something. Hanging up, I climbed out of the tub and walk over to the towel rack. Picking out the biggest, softest towel I wrap it around me after giving it a quick run up and down my body.

Going into the hallway that leads to my bedroom- its a short one because the bathroom is in my room, so I don't have to worry about being seen if my towel fell- closing the door, I quickly get dressed.

William turned down my bed and set the two extra pillows on the couch by the second window. He also moved my chair that I left in the closet, so I had to move it back so I could reach the journal again once I was done with my homework wrap-up.

I practiced a few sentences out loud to make sure they sounded correct; sometimes I would write it out and it looks fine, but when I read it it makes no sense. French is another one of those things that I just sort of walked into- kind of like violin. I lost track of time studying, and wound up fast asleep over my workbook.

...

I got up that morning and went to school and everything was just... I'd have to say _natural_ is a good word. People knew me and I knew them; so its no wonder that not even I had no clue about who I really am.

Stuffing my work back into the backpack, I walked into the closet and up onto the chair then retrieved Zeo's journal. It still feels kind of weird reading Zeo's thoughts that are supposed to be personal, but I'm so interested in what he- or should I say what _I_ was like as a child, I'm 16 now.

"Let's see, page 2."

_Hey Keisuke! Do you like that name? Naah, me either. I'll keep trying. Today is the 4th of May. I know I skipped two days but I went to the beach with Mom and we did all kinds of fun stuff, had hot squid sticks and terriyaki meatballs and big slices of watermelon- hahaha it seems like I talk about food alot, huh!_

_We weren't alone, I saw some kids from school there and we made mermaid legs for the girls out of sand, then left them there while we all swam. I can swim okay but I'd never go out in the deep end because I heard that kids get sucked up, and taken out to sea when they do. Grown-ups can swim out there because they're bigger and can swim with harder strokes than kids._

_I got sea shells, I was gonna glue them inside of you but then I realized that you wouldn't be able to lock if I did. I found a secret place to hide you in my room, I won't write it down because if someone looks at this they'll find you and that would be bad._

_It's weird though... While we were at the beach, I saw a kid sitting all by his self on the peer just staring out at the water. He had really neat two colored hair! Some was red and the rest was blackish gray-..._

Red and black? "Does he mean Ozuma?" I can't fit it into place that Zeo would know Ozuma. It was probably someone else, and the hair thing is just a coinsidence.

_I wonder if he's lonely? He looked lonely- but I didn't go over. Usually kids that sit by theirself are really mean. The rest of the day was boring, I had practice, and dad came to watch. I caught him talking about me again, saying how I'm his pride and joy and I'm so wonderful. I hate when he does stuff like that, he said its because him and mom were lucky to have me because they say mom can't have kids._

_Then how did they have me?! I asked about being from someone else, and they laughed saying I'm a hundred percent theirs. Mom is packing her bags to go to France, she wants to take me with her. I'm part French you know. She says that's the reason I'm so cute, because I mostly take after her. By the way! I've got my birthday pictures back, wanna see?_

He drew an arrow that points to the otherside of the page. Can't say that my heart isn't racing a bit at the thought of seeing myself, or I should say Zeo, and my mother whose name I have yet to learn. Letting out my nervous breath I see two pictures have been taped to the pages one on each side.

The first one was of the kids at the party some of them which I know now and others I don't, all of them are smiling and holding up goody bags. Sweet. The next one made me drop the book. Zeo's mother... my mother is the spitting image of me only girl form. The difference is that her eyes look green instead of blue, like dad, and I have dad's ears. But she even has long blue hair!

In her arms is Zeo, fleshen Zeo with a big grin on his face and bits of cake around his mouth... I think that's enough reading for today. Closing the book I got up to put it back on the shelf, but then something made me open it and take out the picture with Zeo and our family.

9 9 9

The walk to Tyson's house was boring, and hot. Why does it have to be so hot out today? Bad enough I have to lug my instrument with me over there, because my Dad called and told William to tell me to practice. It took twenty minutes for me to convince dad that I should be allowed to come over to Tyson's for some blading practice, but he said that violin comes first- since when?! I remember it was just about a year ago when that was all he could think of. Me beating Tyson in the tournament and snagging their bitbeast, so that he could make me a real boy.

I still don't understand how he planned on doing that but he said it had something to do with a lab in Russia and their research. I never understood science all that well. But he finally gave up and accepted me for who I am. I think dad loves me, or rather, I know he does.

My fingers brush across the wall of the Granger dojo as I turn onto Tyson's street. Sometimes I just wish he would be at home a little more; if he gave up on his research to make me human than shouldn't he have more time for being at home with me?

I can already hear the guys talking from beyond the wall- more like Tyson shouting something at Kai for not doing anything at all. Tyson once told me how much it bugged him when Kai would sit there with his arms crossed and eyes closed, then he would pass judgement on his blading skills. I told him that it was only because Kai likes to keep him on his toes. But truthfully I don't think I know what he's all about myself. I break out into a huge grin when I see them all around a beydish, so I hurry over to them.

"Hey guys!" I shout.

Max turned to me first with a big smile. "Hey Zeo, we missed you yesterday. What happened to you?" He opened his arms to hug me.

I gladly accepted it. Max is friendly in ways most guys would be embarrassed about, but that's what I really admire about him.

"I was just side tracked, that's all." Setting down my carrying case next to Kai, who looks like he's asleep. "I brought Cerberus with me. Who's up for a battle?" I'm already by the dish ready to launch.

"Okay, this guy's mine." Says Tyson with as much confidence as he would have if this were a serious match rather than friends playing in the backyard.

I like how much Tyson's grown up over the time, his voice hasn't changed a bit though, which makes me happy, because I'm so much higher than my friends when I talk and sometimes it can be kind of embarrassing. But the biggest change about him is his hair cut, he still wears it long but not as long as he used to. I'm thinking about cutting mine next year.

"I'll call it," says Max standing between the two of us. "3... 2... 1. Leet it riiiiip!"

Our blades smash into each other with full force; I can see Tyson already poised to call out Dragoon. I've been training a lot over the time of the last tournament and now that I'm allowed to qualify for the next one, every battle counts to me.

I'm doing great, when all of a sudden Zeo pops up in my head. I'm wondering if he were into beyblading? And if so, then how good was he? Was it around when he was alive? Did he know Tyson? That can't be because he didn't seem to know me like everyone else in Zeo's life.

It was great how everyone accepted me with open arms when they found out my secret, I really thought that my life was over and people wouldn't treat me the same, but I was totally wrong. I think we've all become closer now because of it.

Just as I snap out of my thoughts, I hear Tyson shout!

"Finish him off Dragoon. Hurricane assault!"

A new technique he's perfected. High winds blow, spinning your blade in the opposite direction until its rotation stops completely then the high winds toss your blade from the dish; and only well built blades can escape the part that completely smashes it to pieces.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I catch Cerberus with ease; I can't help scrunching my eyes when the match is over, but I know it was my own fault for spacing, but I had good reason. Reason enough anyway.

"Zeo that was weak." Tyson says catching Dragoon. "How are you gonna compete in the worlds when your thinking about anything other than the battle?"

"This coming from the guy that nearly lost a match because they put the kitchen too close to the arena."

"Aw come on Max, you know what food does to me." He shrugs.

With a defeated huff, mock anger though, I walked over to where I set my sheet music and things down. Guess its time for practice. Opening the case I can hear Tyson calling out his next opponent. Rei volunteered and the two of them launched shortly after.

Setting the instrument on my shoulder, I raise my bow and start to play. I closed my eyes and smiled about all the good things that make me wanna play. Ozuma, my friends, blading. I played something slow and lilting, I played thinking about Zeo's day at the beach, I played thinking about my mom and dad. I played until the song was over, perfectly, then opened my eyes to see everyone staring at me. Blushing, I slip a hand behind my head and laugh.

"My dad told me to practice, it was the only way I could get out of the house."

"You're messing up my match with all that choppin' you're playing. Why not take it to Grampa, huh, Zeo?"

"Alright, alright. I'll play out of earshot." Gathering my things, I spot the picture in my case. I completely forgot that I took this with me. "Ozuma, can you give me a hand."

"Sure."

He picked up my mini-stand that held my sheet music and walked with me to another part of the house. I like that my house has wooden floors, it makes a great sound when you walk, and its good for sliding across when you've got socked feet.

"I wanna show you something." I say to him when we're out of earshot.

"Hmm?" He sets the stand down and walks over to where I'm standing.

"Take a look at this." I open the case then pull out the picture. "This is my mom." I say full of pride. I'm allowed, she's my mother too.

Ozuma took the picture from me. He's frowning as he looks it over, which makes me have to ask.

"What is it?"

"Did your dad give this to you, Zeo?"

I shake my head smiling because of my secret. "I found it. In a book." I add to give some mystery to my finding.

"You were looking through photo albums?" He asks again.

What the heck is up with him, why is he so sad all of a sudden? He seemed fine a minute ago.

"No. Even better- I'm not sure I know where the photo albums are in my house." I say after a second thought. "I found it in Zeo's journal."

"Zeo's?" He cocks a brow. "But you're Zeo."

"Nnooo, not me. Fleshen Zeo."

"I know who you mean, Zeo." He pushed the picture back into my hands. "But are you sure you should be messing around with stuff like that? I mean, you aren't reading it are you?"

"Of course I am! It's great." Saddening a bit because of Ozuma's glum disposition, I ask. "Is it so wrong to be curious?"

"I think it is..." he trails off. "Aren't you worried that it'll make you sad, reading about the human you?"

I shake my head. "I thought I would be... I even tried to stall myself with a snack but, I don't know, I guess I just can't be sad about it. It's because of what happened that _I'm_ here and I love being with all of you guys..." I shrug. "So what if I read a little about the boy I'm supposed to be. I'll never get to know him myself, so isn't reading his journal ok?" I look down at the picture with a smile. "I'm learning so much about him, and I've always been curious but too afraid to ask, so this is good for me."

He still seems unswayed.

"I even think he saw you once, at the beach. Were you ever there?"

Ozuma scratched his arm. That's what he does when he's nervous about something. I know because Ozuma is the most stable person I've ever met, so when something seems off about him I know immidiately.

"So is it true? Did you ever know fleshen Zeo?"

"No. I never exactly knew him... Listen Zeo, I'm glad that you get to see a picture of your mother, but this isn't gonna turn out to be a good thing in the end. So just leave it alone, please?"

Confused, I see the concern in his green eyes. Sighing after about five minutes of thought, I nod. "Alright, I'll forget about it... I just wish you could be happy for me, though."

"I am happy for you. I just... think some things should be left alone." He begins to walk away from me. "You're calling up bad winds, Zeo."

How can reading something be bad? How can finally having a way to have my questions answered not be a good thing? Can I really keep my word and not read it. Looking down at the photo, I know the answer to that question.


	3. Let Me Hold You

**D**inner went about as well as you could expect it, with one kid surrounded by a bunch of adults talking about things you don't understand. At least none of them asked me to do stupid tricks like... lift a safe over my head or something. Like I could! I know my limits with this body, and my strengths. I don't hold myself above anybody, but some people still make a big deal over it, or they look at me funny.

Bleh. I bit into some fat. We're having chicken and potato soup today. Its pretty good, but every now and then cook forgets a hunk of fat and I always end up getting it, and if I don't then my dad hides it really well.

Part of me still wondered what Ozuma was talking about, the comment with bad winds. Does he mean like I opened Pandora's Box? Because I don't think so... I planned on reading a lot more of the journal tonight, but at the same time... I feel like its taboo, and maybe I shouldn't touch it if its gonna hurt Ozuma so much.

"Zeo." My father says.

Looking at him I ask. "Yes, father?"

"Do you remember our deal?"

_That was a deal?_ I question.

Nodding, I'm on my feet and grabbing my violin from its case beside my chair; making sure that the picture didn't drop from out of it. Closing it off, I step in front of the dining room, hold the instrument under my chin then on my shoulder. Straight back, chest out, I raise the bow and play the song that I'm scheduled to solo with at the recital.

It went perfectly, as I'd hoped; since I wasn't exactly practicing, I thought for sure I would bomb. The men in the room all applauded me when I was done. It felt good to hear it, because secretly I was kind of pretending that I was in a blading match, and I'd just won out over everybody, the first of many victory's for me.

"Splended young Zeo." Says Mr. Kadawaki. He's part of developement.

Mr. Ichikada, from funds, nodded to the man's words. "My Julian should only hope to play that well this weekend."

Julian is brilliant, and I can hardly be compared to him- besides, he plays the flute.

"Thank you all, so much." I look to my father. "May I be excused, please?"

"Very well Zeo." My father says coolly.

He will never admit to me that I did well, but then again, it'd be odd of him if he did. Taking my leave after saying goodbye to all of them, I can hear them start up conversation about the next new experiment they're researching.

Thank god they saved that for _after_ dinner, or I'd of died from boredom. Taking my hair down from its ponytail, I dropped my band onto the dresser then set my violin case beside that. A quick change into my pajamas, and I was in bed with my secret book.

Let's see... here we go! Zeo was talking about a trip to France, where I last left off.

_1994 8th May. This is just great! I somehow got sick this week, and now have to miss the trip to France with my mom. It makes me so mad, this is my first time getting to go! But I understand that she has to go with or without me, though. She's a famous singer, and is high on demand both here in Japan and overseas._

_Did you know that there are other places in the world? Me either! I guess Matia was telling the truth about Spain. I kind of thought that when mom taught me French it was just so we can have a secret language, but a lot of people speak it._

_My head hurts right now, and I've got a high fever but the main thing is that I can't keep my food down; dad said something about stomach flew- no wait, flu, I saw it on my medicine bottle._

Gross! There seems to be what looks like saliva on the page. Maybe he started coughing- good thing I can't get sick.

_I'm feeling kind of tired now, sorry this is so short, I'll try harder when I'm better. Good night._

_1994 10th May. You won't believe it! And its really true! Dad says he's gonna take me to Africa with him, since I missed the trip to France with mom. We're gonna be there a whole month! He says its for research but that we'll have fun when he's not working. Can you believe it? I saw it in my geographic book that dad ordered for me, while I was sick. I'm gonna go on a safari, and a trek- whatever that is, and we're gonna learn some basic African. The kids in school are gonna be so jealous._

_Mr. Masterson says that he'll be coming along to watch me, since Mr. Kaiho is only the driver, and I don't know him that well... but from what I do know he's pretty nice._

_I have to get packed right now, you think I should bring you along? My dad just called me, I'll put you in my suitcase for safe keeping. OH! and you know that boy I mentioned from the beach? I finally got to talk to him the other day, but I'll tell you about that when we get out on the road, I'm too busy right now_.

I skipped a few pages because he doesn't seem to mention anything about this 'boy' from the beach on them, just a lot of stuff about the ride to the airport and the plane trip. The page that was done on the drive to the airport has a lot of ink slashes across the paper, from where they must have made a turn or something. Three pages later, he remembered what he was gonna say about the boy on the beach.

_So, last Wednesday I saw that boy from the beach. He was waiting around outside of the candy store for someone inside, I think. I asked Mr. Kaiho to stop the car, and he did; the boy stared at me when I got out of the car, but when I smiled at him he didn't make any rude gestures or anything like that, so I walked over and said "Hi." He glared for a second then smiled and said "Hi." back._

_I asked him who he was waiting for, he said no one so I guessed he was just looking. I told Mr. Kaiho that he could go home without me- don't tell my dad about that part, because he hates for me to be out alone without an adult. But I see lots of guys my age doing it!_

_Anyway, I went into the shop and bought some candy- just any random kind... when I offered some to the boy, he thanked me and we took a walk to the park and shared it._

_He's really nice, says his family just moved to Japan, and he's been living with his grandparents. I asked him about his mom and dad, he told me that he hasn't known them for a long time. I think he means he doesn't have any that he knows of._

_Its sad when things like that happen; I wanted to hug him but that didn't seem appropriate. "What's your name?" I ask him._

_He smiles at me and says. "Ozuma."_

_I told him it was a funny name, that I've never heard before and he told me that its not unusual where he used to live. I think he's mixed with another race- like me- because he talks funny like he just learned Japanese, but its cute, I like it. He spit out a candy that he said taste like coconut, and I laughed. By the way, I told him my name after he told me his. He and I_-...

Zeo knew Ozuma... Why didn't he ever tell me that? How could I not remember him; the day I was created I had some artificial memories put into me, things and people that I know... if I never told my dad about Ozuma, I guess he wouldn't know to put him in there. Well, that excuses him, but then what about Ozuma? Why didn't he tell me we were once friends? ...I guess this is what he meant when telling me not to read it, he didn't want me to know about it incase Zeo mentioned him.

Biting my lip, I blink in thought... wondering if I should tell him that I know or not? What would happen between us, would it change anything? I don't see why, we're pretty much the same person he and I.

I can remember when Ozuma came to me three days after I helped out Tyson, when he and the Saint Shields were attacking Dragoon. I looked at him and he seemed so hurt, almost offended, when he saw me at the top of the hill... and then they just left.

Ozuma came to my house three days later; William called me down from my room to talk with him in the sitting room. It was awkward, he kept saying "Why didn't you tell me you were back?" I had no clue what he was talking about, he even hugged me. Ha, truthfully I thought he was a little crazy.

I had spent a lot of time idolizing Tyson without really knowing why, until my dad told me. But, during all that time when I was hanging out with the Bladebreakers, I somehow developed a crush on Ozuma; he would show up every now and then and leave within the blink of an eye. I found that to be so mysterious that I had to know more about him, so I sought him out in this warehouse, and he and I talked.

I still didn't understand how he knew me, but when he said we were kids it all made sense. I had forgotten about my childhood completely- or so I thought- and to me, it was natural someone who was my friend back then would slip my mind. Thank god it didn't stop us from becoming as close as we are now though.

So Ozuma has nothing to worry about... Looking at my phone, I pick it up and press his number. He and I should talk.

...

I watched Ozuma walking up to my house from my bedroom window. He looks like he's been taking his sweet time on purpose, because I called him over an hour ago and the walk from my place to Tyson's isn't very long. In the mean time, I've done some more reading while I waited.

Zeo's life just got more and more interesting as the years went by. Its just such a shame about what happened to him. The door bell called me back to earth, and I rushed downstairs to greet Ozuma and bring him upstairs before William could get his hands on him. Last thing I wanted him to do was tell my dad that Ozuma came over; he knows that the two of us are together, but he doesn't know in what way exactly... and I'd kind of like to keep it that way.

"Come on, come on." I grab him by the hand and drag him up the stairs to my room. "I've got so many things to tell you." I say before closing the door.

Ozuma timidly stood by the door while I took a seat back on my bed, journal in my lap held open to where I left off. Why is he acting like this is his first time here.

"Ozuma, what are you doing? Sit down by me." I pat my bed.

Hesitant, he walks over to the bed sitting at the very edge of it. Rolling my eyes, I snatch him up from behind and pull him right up by my side against the headboard. I then rest my head to the side on top of his; I know he likes it when I do this, because he always plays in my bangs while he reads or talks to me.

The room is so quiet all you can hear is the sound of our breathing mixing together. Ozuma once told me he can hear my body making this low hum, he says its like a sound reserved only for him; kind of like Rei's strange purring. I don't think I've ever heard this sound before, so I'll have to take his word for it.

Ozuma sighs right then and begins with, "Zeo look-..." only I cut him off.

"Did you know that Zeo learned African when he and father visited their for a month and a half, while he did research. He knows French too, ha, that's probably why I know it so well- its second nature."

"Zeo," He tried again but I kept talking.

I wanna show him that the fact that he knew fleshen Zeo doesn't bother me. I want him to share that with me, if he wants to. I'm sure he and Ozuma have done a lot of things that might be written down in this journal... and coming from Ozuma, whose been there, will be a real treat for me. Why can't he see that?

"He knew three kids that taught him, two boys and a girl." I chuckle a bit. "He described them so good I almost feel like I can see them, he said he took pictures but I flipped through the book but the birthday pictures where the only two taped inside. I figured dad hid them, or they're in a photo album somewhere in the cellar.

"Zeo please."

"Amijatta, really funny and friendly. Biyogo, sarcastic and was always making fun of the way he pronounced things, and the girl was Doto she wanted to be an artist... They gave him a robe from kente cloth you know, they said its a real honor to be accepted as one of them."

"Zeo that's enough." His voice came out as a quiet hiss.

Lifting my head I look over at him. "But why?" Taking his hand, I look into his emrald colored eyes that in the sunlight reflect as more of a lime green. "Ozuma, I read in here that you knew Zeo- is that really so bad?"

"It is." He said bluntly. Looking down at our joined hands, he shrugs his shoulder. "I guess I don't want you thinking things that's all. Zeo and I... we were friends and nothing more."

"But Ozuma, I didn't think anything more... you were kids- what could have happened between you?" Letting one of his hands go I pick up the book. "See, its good to read this, it really helps me Ozuma, its letting me know things that I've always wanted to, like look here-." I point. "My mother is pure blood French; she sings all kinds of classical songs; and she and Zeo often played together. She would sing, and he would play. I still don't know her name though... I thought about going on the internet to look her up but... I kind of chickened out."

Scoffing, he shakes his head. "You see, its upsetting you." Reaching for the book, he then says. "You shouldn't be reading it."

I hold it out of reach fending him off with my other hand on his chest. "But not in that way, Ozuma... learning about my mother would only bring up questions that can only be answered by my dad, like," I think of something that's been going through my head since I found the lost item. "Where is she now? Did they get a divorce? My dad wouldn't take well to the sudden questions, he'll ask me why about a lot of things, and my only answer can be that I found Zeo's journal- he'll take it away from me before I can finish it."

"Maybe he should!" He snapped. "Zeo, _you're_ Zeo... no one else."

"And I know that..." Calming down before I started to snap as well, I rub his shoulder and readjust myself on the bed beside him. "Here, you read it to me. Please."

He seemed to swallow hard as his hands reached out for the book, shakily they grab a hold of it and open it up. The year has changed which makes Zeo eight now. Ozuma took a deep breath letting it out before he then starts reading.

_Guess what I'm getting awards in school for being the top student in math and science class. My dad would kill me if he knew I failed in science, its practically my heirotage. Anyway, dad got a new business partner named Dr. Kay; she's really pretty, but when you hear her talk it kind of takes away from it._

_She's rude and snaps at dad's assistants a lot, but dad says she's really working out. My mom likes her, so, I like her too. Mom says a woman that knows what she wants tends to develope a heavy skin in a man's world._

_Did I tell you I got my trip to France with her, we bought those funny French hats, and ate yummy dessert; I got to watch mom live at this big concert hall, from the sidelines. I always think she looks most beautiful when singing, but never mind that, there's this new game coming out there called 'Beyblade'._

_I've seen posters all over the place, and I wanna do that this summer. Dad says such games are silly and pointless in life, and that if I ever wanna make it in this world, I have to do something more productive. As if! Its just a game._

_But its not just gonna be in France, I've been seeing posters go up all over Japan too! They say this thing could be big if it picked up. I want a beyblade so badly, but I don't know where they sell them or how to get my hands on one._

_Ozuma's been acting weird since he found out about it, he said that it has something to do with his being in Japan, and that he has some type of mission. Since then, I haven't seen him as much as I usually do, which sucks because he's like my best friend._

_All the kids at school are buzzing about it, they say that there are all types of colors and styles out there to choose from. Isn't it funny the wild imagination of children these days. Someone's moving into that big house down the street on the big hill, that's one of the nicest looking places in the whole district, I wonder if I should say hi when they get settled._

_Darn it, sorry about the tear (there's an arrow drawn to a torn piece of paper at the corner of the page.) Idol, my new puppy, just hopped on the bed and attacked you. He needs to be trained, but dad hasn't found anyone yet. He's an American dog, a yorkie, the man at the pet store said._

Ozuma began to lightly scratch his fingers through my hair. Its comforting and makes me smile. He read so many pages to me, telling me that the reason he was so upset back then was because their were rumors going around the tribe about the bitbeasts being reborn, and since the spinning tops advertized in beyblading were so much like the devices they used to seal the spirits into that the holders of the spirits would soon show theirselves as well, and it was his mission to retrieve the legendary animals before they fell into the wrong hands, like so many years ago.

We all had our reasons for doing the things we did back then, and truthfully, I think it made us closer as friends. I know just about as much of everyone of my friends as they know about me, we all sat down and aired ourselves clean after that day when they discovered the truth about me.

It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, but it was really hard on Ozuma. He and I avoided each other like we were embarrassed. I was embarrassed because I thought he wasn't okay with me anymore, and he was upset because he never knew that I wasn't the real thing. It seemed like in all the time he and I were together that year, he somehow found a way to accept the fact that his best friend couldn't remember him... but it was never the case at all, and in a way he lost him all over again. But Ozuma and I saw past that, and are stronger as a couple than we ever were.

Laughing quietly, Ozuma turned the page. "I remember this day, he and I were catching bugs. He was so brave up until one ran down his shirt." I laugh at that. "He ran off screaming that it was gonna bite him, it was gonna poison him."

"What was it?"

"A cricket."

That cracked me up. Zeo must have been pretty sheltered to think that of such a passive bug. Taking the book and giving the next page a look over, I smile at it. Such a lively person. Looking at Ozuma when a bundle of my hair was moved over my shoulder, I leaned over and kissed him on the mouth.

"Thanks for reading with me, are you gonna come over tomorrow?"

Ozuma thought about it then nodded. "Yeah. Bright and early so you might wanna have breakfast in your room tomorrow."

"Definitely!" I kiss him again.

Taking that as a challange to wrestle, Ozuma knocked me to the bed and I tumbled sideways to get away from him. He's not pinning me down.

"Rrraaa!" I let out a roar before pouncing on him.

He was laughing too; he attempted to buck me off, so taking that as my chance I slap the bed for the count. "1... 2... 3! And Zeo is the winner!"

Ozuma rolled onto his back, holding my face as he looked at me.

"Uh-uh, to the victor the spoils." I say before kissing him.

He grabbed my nipples, that little sneak, and pinned me down when I howled in pain.

When he leaned over, I waited for him to kiss me... but he just nuzzled his nose to mine. "Nadaline."

"Hm?"

"Your mother's name is Nadaline."

"...Ozuma," I say almost in tears as he is.

"She always let me call her Mrs. Nadaline saying that I was like her well-groomed, second son." He has a weak smile on. "Zeo could learn a lot from me, she said." He sniffled.

I reached up and wiped his tears.

So that's what he was talking about, reading Zeo's diary wouldn't be so much painful for me as it would him. He is the one who can't listen to it, he doesn't want to remember... Though I know they're just friends, I sort of feel... kind of jealous now. They had such a nice friendship that he cries so readily at the thought of his childhood friend.

Cleaning his self up, he sits up and says. "Come on, I could go for a snack."

I can tell he wants to change the subject, so I go along with it. Feeling the way I did just then I could use a distraction. "Yeah, let's make some cookies."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Mm hmm. William knows the recipe, but you and I can make the shapes."

We're on our ways out the door. Just before I close it, I cast somewhat of a glare at the book of secret memories owned by fleshen Zeo; nothing... it means nothing.


	4. A Glimmer

**T**alking with Ozuma got me thinking about some things, like how come Zeo is so happy all the time. Maybe part of me just got a bit jealous, and would for once like to see him in his down time. So when I was sure that no one was gonna bother me anymore, tonight I opened the doors to my terrace and walked out to sit on the long padded bench, the decorator put out there for me.

Walking outside at night always makes me feel kind of uncomfortable, I guess it just seems like someone is watching me, y'know? But I'm on private property so that's not possible unless they have binoculars or something, and if you have those why would you waste your time watching a dorky kid like me? Problem solved. Sitting down, I lean against the cozy back of the seat, and flip through the tiny book with the moonlight as my lighting.

Let's see... Mean neighbors up the hill, its just some oldman from Russia- no. Flipping a few more pages, I see that the month has changed.

School's started, and he met my friend Asako Niko, come to think of it I never remember saying that I was sorry to him for bailing on him at the tournament. Looking back down the pages I see that he and I weren't friends when we first met, Niko wasn't shy at all and apparently something about Zeo rubbed him the wrong way, so he played mean jokes on him until eventually they made up because his mom invited him to his next birthday party and they got along great.

Flipping a few more pages I skim down them seeing that over the course of being eight years old, Zeo got sick quite a few times... but nothing overly dramatic or anything like that. Here we go! December 12, 1995.

_I wish they would just knock it off already! Why do they have to argue over stupid things? I remember when all they did was make me uncomfortable with their kissing and now-... Rrrr! I'm just so mad at them! I don't even know what the fight is about, I think mom mentioned something about Dad's new assistant and he got all defensive._

_My dad doesn't strike me as the type to hit on other women so what were they talking about anyway? Dad sent me to my room with his mean voice when the fight started, and they yelled at each other about that; Idol came in a few minutes after me, whimpering like they're his parents fighting- aren't dogs weird. Great! Now someone slammed a door- probably mom. That's the car,_

He must have suddenly dropped his book and pen because there's an ink slash across the paper.

_Guess I'm wrong there, Dad is leaving, probably to his lab away from home. Mom is coming upstairs so I'm gonna hide you for a minute, I'll give you the details if she tells me._

The paper is stained with tears now, so I'm guessing he was crying about whatever his mother told him.

_Mom says that Dr. Kay wants to do research in Eygpt and Dad wants to move us out there until its done, and she says that could take forever... and that Dr. Kay can just go by herself- I just don't understand why that would cause a fight? Sure we've lived here forever, but that doesn't mean we've been sheltered. I don't care if we move._

_Mom seems like she's holding something back but I don't like asking her nosy things when she's crying, so I just hugged her until she felt better then she told me I could invite Ozuma over for dinner, but Ozuma and me haven't spoken in a while.. so I'm not sure if he'd come or not. Mateo... Do you think my parents hate each other? I'll see you later. Good night._

Curious I turn to a few pages later and find out that my Dad sent Dr. Kay on her way to Eygpt alone, and he and my Mom worked things out- in fact- they were more in love than ever, he says. Kind of tired, I close the diary for today and head back in, but my trail didn't stop at the bed like I thought it would, I instead left my room and went to the computer room and started up the internet.

Ozuma told me my Mom's name was Nadaline, so maybe I can find something of hers there. I typed in her name alone, then I typed it in with my last name and a list of things popped up- more than the first search. I clicked on this and that, some were b.s. porn sites, go figure with that, but finally I hit pay dirt with a fansite by some Parisian named Lidia Amecaur.

My mothers full name is Nadaline, Kina, Paradis-Zagart and she's got four best selling albums, this kid even knows her birthday and stuff. It's kind of weird reading about your own mother from some stranger off a website, but I really don't know anything about her. Its like Dad wanted me to forget her altogether or something.

Nadaline was married at age 22, and had one son named Zeo a year after that; she and her husband divorced in 1998 and she moved to France to continue her career as a singer. Her most embarrassing moment, she admits, was when she sang in school and burped on a long note and everyone heard it. Hahaha. There's a spot to download songs, but I can't do that because my Dad might find out about it. I'll just order some and hope they get here when he's not at home.

Leaving the room I speed into my bedroom and grab my wallet to get my credit card. I got this a long time ago because my Dad said holidays and birthdays should be special, so I should be able to buy what I want with it. I've never been so insulted. So I stuck it in my wallet and forgot about it. But now I have a reason to use it; maybe my Dad wasn't being so heartless after all.

Leaving the site I went to another one and thank God they had the cd's. I ordered all of them and an extra that had the greatest hits and two bonus songs and a hidden one. I can't wait until they come! I'll probably listen to them with Ozuma when they get here, it'd be nice to share it with him. Yawning, I knew it was time for bed so I shut everything off and did just that.

The next morning.

I woke up feeling like I got hit by a truck, but opening my eyes I see that it was just Tyson bouncing on my bed.

"Tyson," I hear Rei saying.

"What? It worked didn't it?" He looks down at me. "Hey Zeo, you up dude? Come on, we're going to the park today... remember?" He hopped from the bed leaving the room while saying. "There's probably gonna be a lot of sick bladers there today."

Shaking his head in dismay, Rei reaches out a hand to me to help me sit up. "Sorry about that, we told him to just wait for you but you know Tyson."

I'm busy rubbing my eyes and getting the cricks out of my body. "Why are we going to the park?"

"Zeo," Max chimed in beside Rei. "Sign ups. Come on and get dressed."

"Oh no! I forgot all about that!"

Leaping out of bed- nearly knocking my friends over- I stagger down the mini-hallway to get to my bathroom, where I slam the door shut without meaning to but who cares about that. Starting the shower I strip my clothes off and wash as quickly as a four year old that hasn't gotten the hang of it yet.

Getting dressed I nearly slip because my pant leg got caught on my heel; hopping to the sink I load up my toothbrush and scrub away; wondering how late it is I look over at the clock to see that its near- eleven! How could I sleep in so late?! Spitting the foam into the sink, I wipe a hand across my mouth not even bothering to swish out the rest before leaving the bathroom.

"Come on you guys, I have to register before the place gets crowded." I tear downstairs meeting Tyson at the end of the stairs; bacon grease around his mouth.

"Zeo, we are the crowd." He laughs.

Laughing, I snatch a slice from him and chew on, it getting the grossest taste in the world due to the toothpaste still left in my mouth. I'll be sure to eat a big lunch later.

...

So much for being the crowd, everyone and their mother must have come today. Young bladers, older bladers, guys I've seen before and new commers to the game.

Tyson is completely fired up, but Max has a leash on him. Some kid is screaming that the Bladebreakers are in the park, but they pretend to be just anybody when people do that. Making my way to the registration table, bumping hips and elbows, I smile at Mr. Dickenson before grabbing the pen from the clipboard to write my name down.

"Aaahh, glad you could make it Zeo. I thought you would have been here at eight when we started, but I didn't see you."

"Ahaha, sorry Mr. Dickenson, I kind of slept in."

The elderly man laughed. "Yes, well, isn't that just like Tyson. But, wouldn't wanna develope his bad habits."

"Oh no, sir." I assure him.

"Tyson once slept clear through two matches; Rei had to bring him regardless, and the bus got blocked in by traffic."

"I never heard that story,"

"Oh its quite a tale, at first they started up the mountain but then Rei sprained his ankle, so it turned out to be Tyson who had to bring Rei."

I laugh at the image, hoping that I have just as much fun when I go out there to compete.

"Are my ears burning?" Says Tyson coming up beside me suddenly. "Hey Mr. D', filling Zeo here in on the worlds."

"Something like that, just telling him about all you kids adventures."

"That's nothing compared to the mischief I can get into, now that I'm older."

"Yes, for our sake let's hope you're joking."

Tyson started to laugh that signature laugh of his, and I turn away from the tables to look around for Ozuma but Mr. Dickenson calls me back.

"Oh Zeo? I hope you have a partner with you."

"Huh?"

"We're doing doubles this year, all the matches are two on two."

"Two on two?! Do I still have time to look for a partner?"

Someone pushed past me, and I see Ozuma write his name down beside mine. "I don't mind blading with you, Zeo. Besides, I never got to participate in world's."

"...Ozuma... Thank you." I kind of thought he was sad a little bit- because of yesterday- and he wasn't at my house when the others came to get me, but I guess he slept in too.

"Aah, splendid. So it will be Zeo and Ozuma in the tournament this year."

"Yup." Tyson drops an arm around the both of us. "It's just too bad the rest of us can't compete anymore, but we'll be cheering you guys on the whole way."

"Thanks Tyson." Wriggling away, I look out over the crowd. "Come on, let's see if anyone wants a match."

"You brought your blade?"

"Of course!" I shine Cerberus in the light.

Ozuma takes out Flash Leopard, and we find some guys to practice our skills on- ha! More like slaughter! With Ozuma as my partner we'll be unstoppable. We must have been outside for hours, because the crowd began to thin as people were leaving and calling out rematch or shouting that they were number one. The others, now with cramped hands from signing autographs, said goodbye and Ozuma and me walk to my house in somewhat silence.

"I ordered some of my Mom's cds last night."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm, I thought we could listen to them together when they arrive." I rush ahead of him and walk backwards. "Won't it be awesome to hear her voice? I'm practically at the place where they send them from and ripping the package open." I exaggerate, but its true. I want them as soon as I can get them.

Ozuma smiled at me. "You're really serious about finding out about your past."

"Not my past," I correct him. I know my past, one morning I opened my eyes in my bedroom, and I went for a walk and met Tyson and the others and I was completely bent on being a beyblader. "I'm talking about Zeo."

Ozuma raised a hand giving it a wave. "Okay, okay."

"You wanna come over for dinner?" I get into step beside him again. "I can tell William to get us something good to eat."

"Okay."

Wrapping an arm around his, I lean my head on the top of Ozuma's and we walk back to my house in silence.

9 9 9

Ozuma took the journal from me and sat on my bed; I joined him, and took it back. We snicker for a second then I flip it open. "I think Dr. Kay was hitting on my Dad back in the day, and tried to get him to join her in Egypt because she knew my mother wouldn't wanna move out there with me."

"Eeww, that crusty old woman with the black hair?"

"Uh huh, they had a fight about it, but then everything worked out." Turning a few pages I show him what I meant.

He looked down and read it out loud. "I overheard my mother on the phone with one of her friends talking about how shady Dr. Kay has been acting, and she keeps pushing Dad for a raise... but then Mom said that Dad was thinking about firing that woman anyway. I think maybe that's why they made up."

"Bleh, could you imagine me having to call that evil witch _mother_?"

I laugh, setting the book to rest on my lap. "Hmm, you know what, we have to think up a good name for ourselves."

"You think so? I thought we'd just be using Saint Shields."

"Nuh uh, I really want something that says we're dangerous, like..." I trail off running a list of cool words through my head. "Steel Machines." The embarrassment was worth it for the laugh Ozuma made. But Steel Machines does sound cool.

"Beast Machines." He throws out.

"Ahaha, that sounds like a kiss of death to me."

"Now think about it, you're the machine and I'm the beast because of Flash Leopard."

"Cerberus is beast too." I protest.

Ozuma waved a hand. "I know, we can both be the beast part."

"Good." Sitting in silence I smile into a laugh. "Can't you just hear the ref saying our name to everyone out there. Its gonna be so cool."

"Yeah." He looked out to where I was, almost like we were both thinking about the same thing.

"I wonder if my Dad will be able to make it to some of my matches?" My gaze drops to my lap in thought. "He went to a lot of Zeo's things. When he went through that baseball period, swimming, recitals."

"Dr. Zagart said he was coming to yours."

"I know but, he sometimes says things and then something comes up... But I know his work is important, I'm not some little kid anymore... I won't be sad about it." But when what I said played back in my head, I started to feel sick.

I'm not a little kid anymore, because I've never really been a kid in the first place. I was created at age 14 so I was a preteen. I must have been unaware of my face because Ozuma suddenly hugged me, making hushing sounds while stroking my hair. Its hard to explain it but, I really don't know why I'm crying; it isn't because of fleshen Zeo, it isn't because I'm not like everyone else... I guess deep down I just needed this, everybody does at some point in life... I guess today is mine.

"It's not fair," I hear myself say.

"What's not fair?"

"How things work out." I sniffle before rubbing my tear stained eyes on my boyfriend's shirt. "I never would have been born if it weren't for that accident, I never would have a purpose."

"Zeo, you can't... you shouldn't think about things like that."

Ozuma is right, he was right about the whole thing. I never should have wanted to know things, I never should have thought about what Zeo was like... but it wasn't my fault for being so curious, but once I found _his_ journal in _his_ secret hiding place in _his_ room I couldn't help but begin to question things about him.

"Zeo... I'm only gonna tell you this once," he moved me back to look at me. "What happened was bad, but not entirely a tragedy because... it's like having a twin in a sense... Zeo, he died and gave you life. Yeah, its true that your father wouldn't have a need to do what he did to create you... but at the same time, its good that he did because he loves you so much."

"Yeah but, he loves fleshen Zeo, not _me_ I'm just... I don't know a prop."

"You're not a prop, Zeo." He rubs my back now. "You're you, and there are a lot of people who like you and love you."

"Yeah but Ozuma, I never told you about a lot of things because it embarrassed me."

"What things?"

Wiping my face with the back of my hand, I look away from him. "I don't know, just things- some kids used to throw stuff, and other people older people would make fun of me or my Dad, just dumb things like that."

"Who cares about those jerks, they don't know you... and even if they do, they're idiots because they don't understand."

I guess that makes sense. I never knew any of those idiots that said those things to me, some of the kids that threw stuff, yeah, but... I never really spoke much with them anyway. Giving myself a brief clean up, I smile at him, the best I can anyway, then pick up the journal.

"Ozuma, do you think you could read the last entry to me. I wanna see it, I wanna know what went through his head in that last day... I don't know why, part of me just wants to at least know if he was happy or not." I wipe my eyes again. "Zeo is like my twin in some ways... but at the same time I'm my own person now, right?"

"Yeah." I can see tears in his eyes a bit; now I just feel like a jerk. "Let me see..."

He takes the book from me and then begins to read.

**O**zuma flips through the journal; his fingers are trembling a bit. He himself has always been curious about the disappearance of his childhood friend, but having the Zeo he knows today looking over his shoulder, isn't helping his nerves in the least as he locates the blank pages in the book, then flips back to find where the writing has its start to its end. Clearing his throat he holds the book up, takes a deep breath, then lets it out through his words...

_April 26, 1997._

_Something feels weird about today, like maybe Mom and Dad are gonna start fighting again. Is it possible to predict a fight between your parents? I know it sounds weird, especially because Mom is in France where I'm going to be by the time my birthday comes around- I'll be ten this year._

_But... I don't know, Dad seems kind of upset about my leaving. I think he would have rather had Mom come to us, since he can't get out of work because of that woman Dr. Kay, she said she found something and that was the last thing I heard before they closed the door to the study, and Dad ordered me to go to my room and practice my violin._

_Mr. Masterson brought me up a snack of cookies and milk, telling me that my father said I'll be spending my birthday with Mom alone this year and that I should have fun. Its strange when he's like this, because he always pays attention to me but lately he's been engrossed in his work._

_Still haven't heard anything from Ozuma yet, I think he ditched me- that jerk. I thought we were friends, I even wrote him a couple of times... but then I realized that I don't exactly know where he's living. This whole year has been kind of dumb, is it possible that as you get older you become more depressed about every little thing, unlike when you're a kid... things are just a shrug off then you're on to the next thing. I hope not, I'm only nine going on ten. I'm not ready for the sad parts of life yet_.

End POV.

Ozuma stopped reading, tears streaming down his face as he sniffles. Zeo grabbed a tissue wiping his tears before handing it to him so he can blow his nose. The blue haired child's arms go around his lover, and he lays his head on Ozuma's, feeling his pain as he was the one who needed the comfort not only minutes ago.

"I hate that he wrote that, that he was lonely... and I could have been there for him but, I had a mission... I had things that needed to be done, and Zeo... when they were done I had planned to go back to being his friend but... it never worked out that way."

Nodding, the Zagart child nuzzles his lover's dual colored hair. "I know he didn't mean it, he loved you Ozuma otherwise he wouldn't have hated that you weren't friends that saw each other everyday."

Half a smile comes to the half indian child, and he says. "Thanks Zeo." Sniffling again, he looks down at the book then reads.

_Wanna hear something weird? Mr. Kaiho our driver keeps looking at me funny, like he's gonna tug my hair or call me names. I don't think he likes me very much, but its not like I've demanded much from him; sometimes I bang on the glass divider so he'll roll it down instead of going for the intercom, but Dad tells me not to play on it. I know how to use it now, so why would he get mad suddenly about something that happened years ago?_

_Hmm. I'm not gonna be in France long, just long enough to see Mom and have my party. So I'm gonna leave you here- don't let anyone find you okay? Ha, but don't think I'm so glum, I have lots of friends there, and the party is gonna be so fun- so maybe Dad won't be at this party, I have a lot more to go before I'm at that teenage move-out stage, right? Hahahaha._

_April 30, 1997_

_What a rush everyone is in! I've been in the bath just a while ago and had to get back in because I didn't wash my hair, Dad's been yelling up a storm about every little thing- I think he's mad because he can't join me._

_Dr. Kay knocked on the door a little while ago and the two of them started yelling back and forth, I think he might be firing her because she is fuming today, and after they talked so secretively and kind to each other only a couple or so days ago._

_I accidently stepped on Idol in my rushing around, I blame everyone for making the air so staticy today. Didn't I tell you? Idol's coming too! I hate to have him in luggage though, I wonder if I can sneak him on- no? Darn it._

_Anyway, guess what the present Mom got me she sent it to me early and you won't believe what it was? A beyblade! She knew how much I wanted one and she got it for me- I think she sent it ahead so I could practice and really wail on those other kids when I get to France. I've called it Zeronix I think it sounds pretty French don't you?_

_Shoot. That's my Dad calling for me, I'll see you when I get back okay. Oh! And by the way, I'm sorry I couldn't think of a name for you but in the end, I decided that talking to you was a lot like listening to myself so I think that, Me, is an appropriate name. (he drew a smily face) see you later._

"That's the end of it..." Says Ozuma, voice low, head down.

The two of them sat quietly for a great stretch of time, neither knowing just what to say to the other both of them hurt and effected by the absense of the lost child.

"He never saw it coming," says Zeo after a moment. "He never knew that there was gonna be a car accident he didn't know that he was gonna..." He began to cry, not little sobs either. He cried strong and hard, his tears leaving wet patches wherever they landed. "He never got to be..." his words were stopped by the fit of tears that came from his throat as he coughed them out.

Ozuma held the book to his chest wanting to cuddle Zeo, but at the same time he wanted the same treatment but all he could do was cry as well. Zeo never got to know that he was upset about not getting to see him anymore, that's why the day he found out about the accident he trained and he trained hard. He would not let the reason he had been away from his dear friend have been for nothing, he vowed he would get those beast from the new avatars that have them and he wouldn't let his ancestors, morely Zeo, have suffered in vein.

But for the good it did, because as it turned out the bladebreakers were perfectly capable of protecting their beast, even after they've been taken because they were chosen... and the beast would return to them time and time again. But none of that matters because he lost his friend, and he was never going to get him back.

"I want it."

"Zeo?"

"I wanna give the journal to my Dad, he deserves it." He wipes his tears with the back of his hand. "Zeo was his everything and, this will make him feel him again... maybe even stop his loneliness."

Ozuma thought that over, but felt he had not much of a choice. With a nod he hands the book over to his boyfriend. Zeo leans over, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I'll look for those letters Zeo wrote, and I'll give them to _you,_ Ozuma." Wrapping his arms around the boys neck, he takes in a deep breath then releases both it and Ozuma at the same time. "I'll be back."

"Okay."

Slipping from his bed, he walks out of the room and downstairs with the sad sounds of his boyfriend's tears in his ears. As he makes his way down the stairs, he has to pause hearing that his father is on the phone with someone, that can't matter now, his father would just have to call them back. Gathering himself, Zeo knocks on the door of his fathers study.

"Not now," calls Harushige Zagart in a gruff tone. "I'm on the phone, make whatever for dinner I won't be eating tonight."

Seeing that his father thought that he was the cook, Zeo just allowed himself into the room; he wasn't snapping at him, afterall.

Dr. Zagart looks up at his son with disdain but a sigh changes the tone in his voice. "Not now Zeo, I'm in the middle of something."

But the young teen walked over to the desk regardless, setting the book down on it. His father took one look at it and paled. He hasn't seen this book since...

"I'll call you back." He hangs up the phone without a word from the person he is speaking too. "Zeo, where did you?"

"I don't think he'd want me to give away his secret hiding place." He tried to smile.

Harushige pulled his second son close to him, holding him around the waist almost as a hug. "I never wanted to let you know about him but I was forced into it."

"I know, you don't have to explain."

"But I want to..." He looks down, not knowing where to start.

Zeo knew where. "Why didn't you tell me about Mom?" He asked. "You put the memories of so many people Zeo knew into me but, she wasn't one of them. Did you not want her to know me?"

Zagart shook his head. "Your mother knows about you, Zeo. That's the reason we broke up... I was devistated when I heard about the accident, I spent days, weeks, months buried in my work until one day Dr. Kay came into my office talking about something that went on in Russia. It involved the extraction of animal spirits and the placement of them into living bodies, and I thought with this technology I can try something, it had to work, I just needed a vessel." His eyes sadden more. "I built your body perfectly, programed this emotion into you and that, memories of people you know, names, dates, to an extent... all I needed then was the bases to make you real."

Zeo opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Kay had no clue about what I was doing, she just knew that I wanted a special kind of rock and its been located in New York city, much to our surprise it was being held by the mother of one of the avatars to the four sacred beast, that roamed the land millions of years ago." Looking into the boy's azure eyes, he blinks a smile into his own. "I love you so much, son. I would do anything to hold you again... With the rock, I extracted a spirit but it didn't work. At first you moved a bit, but in the end you collapsed to the floor like a lifeless doll. I needed something stronger."

"Is that when you decided on the sacred spirits?"

"Yes. Luckily your mother sent you one of those beyblades so I programed the game into you, you took on a temporary spirit," he touched his chest. "In your heart looms Cerberus now, back then, it was something weaker just a dog beast- but it worked. I brought you up to your grief-stricken mother; you smiled at her and said hello. I didn't let you know whom she was should she not take it well, and I was right in doing so; Nadaline was sickened by what I've done and there was a nasty divorce, so in the end your rebirth became the reason we separated."

Zeo could understand now. His father wanted him to be real, his mother found out about it and hated him- both of them. If he was told about the woman he would want to know of her, its only natural, with all the thoughts and feelings he's able to have. She would scream if she heard him speak to her, he wouldn't blame her.

"The sacred souls," his fathers voice caught his attention again. "Wouldn't have been extractable even if we were able to take the beast from their masters... so I love you as you are but Zeo, secretly." He fingers the cover of the book. "I always wanted him back."

Zeo's tears fell again hearing that. He always knew that deep down his father wanted his real son. He knew he could never compare.

"It wasn't because I was displeased with you, but because Zeo was never really gone."

"What do you mean?"

"The car was found, his dog's burned body... but Zeo and Kaihou were never found..."

"Do you mean?"

"I mean, Zeo might be dead... but at times I wonder if that's really true?"

...

His breathing is heavy, echoing around in the back of the empty truck as it rattles along the road. A dirty huddle of a teen sits shuddering in a corner, bouncing lightly up and down as the car moves along the road but the truck is old, which is why when going over a deep pothole the back doors pop open flapping in the breeze rushing about them.

Frightened eyes look at the window, trembling hands reach out to see if its real and when the truck slows at a corner weak legs stagger from it and into the woods at the quickest pace they can move. Shuddered breaths roam in and out of the teens lungs as he looks over his shoulder around the tree trunk at the truck, now continuing on its way down the forested woods towards its destination.

Tears clean a bit of the dirt from his cheeks as they make their way to freedom; blue bangs shade the boy's crystal blue colored eyes as he looks up at the sky. And with what little strength he has to work with he lets out a great scream...


	5. New Story: Stray

**Commentary:** This was originally a story by itself. Not sure why, but I decided to stick these together. Please enjoy, inspite of the darkness that's coming out of it. Thank you.

...

**T**he sky ripped open with a crack of lightning illuminating the office of Dr. Harushige Zagart. The man's large hand is running across the page of a small booklet while the other holds it in place. Ever since he read his son's diary he decided to keep one of his own, just something to record his thoughts in.

_Water: 35 liters._

_Carbon: 20 kilograms._

_Amonia: 4 liters._

_Lime: 1.5 kilograms._

_Phospherous: 800._

_Salt: 250 grams._

_Sulfer: 80._

_Flourine: 7.5._

_Iron: 5._

_Solpeter: 100._

_Silicon: 3 grams._

_And 15 trace amounts of other ingrediants. All this can make a human life, these simple things are what makes us live, what keeps us moving and what eventually will take us apart. These ingrediants I used to make my son come back to me. It was hard at first, hours of trying out this and that, but nothing fit with just mixing and pouring into a beaker, setting them on burners, and hoping for something._

_Without a womb these ingrediants are just that. That was when I came up with the idea to make an artificial womb for these substances. Tubes existing among electricity, wires strung around them an artificial body for these ingrediants but with one exception; the trace amounts were from those of an animal._

_A lizard for age and ability to recooperate, a bird for its adaptable nature and pride, a dog for strength and loyalty, and a cat for its wisdom and flexibilty. I put them together, did the research, and my artificial son lived! ...But only for a short amount of time. The experiment worked, but, it was missing so much. That's when Dr. Kay presented me with the information about a rock with ancient spirits held within it, and I knew what I needed._

_I perfected the body of my son, a special type of rubber to create his skin. Small tubes performing as active veins within any human, the gears of course will make him move but what seperates Zeo from any other cybernetic invention is his mind. With the withdrawn spirits set into the heart and mind of the body he surpassed evolution._

_Many scientist have tried to get their hands on my son, asking me question after question when his secret became public but I tell them to back off with enough threat to let them know I mean it._

_Zeo... my son... he is who he is which was all I wanted to accomplish, to be reunited with him; though my wife Nadaline left me, as well as others- the help that refused this method due to religion- I have what I wanted and the methods I used will be buried forever the day I die. ...My only concern though, is for Zeo after I'm gone. The body must be maintained..._

With a sigh, he closes the book. Its late and he should have been in bed since he has to be up early to leave for a meeting at the lab. Putting the book into the desk then locking it off, he heads upstairs. Passing by his son's bedroom, he raises his fist to knock on the door and tell him good night but he knows that Zeo is asleep by now, so he continues down the hall to his bedroom. It was a good thing he did this too...

Had he opened the door, he would have seen his son opening his mouth taking in the aroused nipple of his boyfriend while spreading the shorter male's legs apart; slicked fingers going down beyond his genitles to Ozuma's entrance to prepare his body.

Dr. Zagart would have seen his son whisper loving words into his lover's neck before leaving a little bite on it, missed hearing the both of them breathe deeply of the scent in the air. Ozuma gasps and arches his back when the blue haired teen's fingers travel within his body. He didn't have to bare witness to the way Ozuma gripped his lover's shoulder to bring him closer.

No, Dr. Zagart couldn't have taken a sight like the two of them moving together, heated by passion. Not tonight, not after all he's felt while working in his secret journal. So for now he rest his head completely free of any trauma of just how grown up his young son trully is now.

Somewhere out of the road a clap of lightening frightens a teenaged straggler who is hiding under the shelter of a thick trunked tree. He yelps, fear shaking through him from the storm raging above his head or maybe it was due to the leaf falling on his nearly bare shoulder, causing an image of being grabbed to run through his head.

Taking off running, hand smacking his shoulder free of whatever it was that grabbed him, he runs and runs until his feet slap against the pavement of the oneway street that he hid away from after he got out of the car.

Two days. He counted as the sun rose and fell. Two days he waited out in the woods wondering if he were being searched for, but no one came. So today he was gonna make his move, he is gonna go home. His voice cracks out a cry, the moment that word crosses his mind.

Staggering after his foot meets briefly with a root from the forest around him, he crawls to the street; his hands touching freedom first. Pulling himself to his feet he pats the dirt from his scrapped knee. Taking a few shaking steps forward, he wraps his arms firmly around his chest giving his shoulders a thorough rub for futile warmth.

Sniffling back a roll of snot that wanted to run free from his nose, he continued on- but wait! That sound! A car! Its coming up too fast for his wobbling, gangly limbs to make it into the woods in time. Eyes shielded as a car approaches he thinks of running out in front of the car, preffering to be hit by it than dragged away again. The car slows to a stop, a window rolls down and a woman- not a man- asks.

"Son are you all right?" Her voice is elderly but kind.

From his place by the edge of the street Zeo stares through the darkness into the car. When the overhead light came on, revealing a sweet faced aunt-looking woman and two wide-eyed children he walked over to the car.

"You'll get soaked out here. Climb in, I'll take you back to my place and you can get a bath and change of clothes. We'll sort you out in the morning, hn?"

Zeo continues to stare, though closer to the car, still very unsure.

"You can't refuse to be in a better shelter than the woods. Come on, get in, we don't bite."

"Mamma he smells." Says the little boy with a brown colored bob-cut.

"Hush, now. Come on boy get in."

Wetting his mouth he sighs, then climbs into the car. No place can be worse than where he was before.

...

"Theeeere we are," the woman drags her words out with each final scrubbing of his long blue hair that she is towel drying for him after his nice hot bath that took the chill from his bones completely; if only she had something for his nerves to prevent him from shaking, then he'd be living on easy street. "You look good as new."

Zeo opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out except a dull hollow huff.

Smiling the woman gave him a firm pet on the head. "You don't have to say anything young man, you just climb into bed and get settled. This storm looks like a long one so, you just try to get some sleep. Hava and Hideo won't bother you."

Zeo kept a watchful eye on the woman, watching as her expression changed from many different emotions, most of them curiousity, the others uncertainty... probably wondering if she'd picked up a nut, a crazed child that doesn't know right from wrong and will kill her and her little family in the dark of night.

A crack of lightning shot his attention to the window, it took that one second for him to turn away that the woman took it upon herself to press him down onto the bed; he wasn't going to scream, so used to this kind of abuse already, but she instead tucked the blanket up to his collarbone before petting him on the head one last time then walking out of the room.

Blinking, he looks around the darkened room for something he can use to barracade the door. A dresser! Slipping out of the cozy and very fluffy bed, he sneaks soundlessly across the room; the wooden floor gave no sign that any weight was pressing down on it at all as he moved to stand at the dresser's side, then leans his weight down onto it. Struggling, small wimpers leaving his mouth, he manages to give it one quick shove but it moved no further than that.

_'I'm too weak to push it, I'm too weak... and she's gonna come in and 'check on me' I just know it.'_

Crossing the room to the door, he opens it peaking out into the hallway. Its very dark with specks of moonlight shining in from a window located at a place in the hall which he can't see. Closing the door, he blinks dumb-foundly at a turn lock.

_How could I forget about this?_ Turning the lock over, he smiles; balmed lips wanting to crack again in the activity but can't find a way through what the woman smeared on them. Zeo climbs back into bed, pulling the blanket completely over his head before tunneling into the center of it. He was surprised that it took him only an hour to fall asleep and stay there.

...

"Mmm. More please William!" Calls Zeo buttering another cresent roll. He was starving this morning and couldn't wait to go down for breakfast, claiming that he invited his fellow blader over to have breakfast yesterday afternoon.

Snickering at how cute his boyfriend could be, Ozuma was no better when it came to the delicious food the mansion's chef can prepare. He was on his fourth plate of fried potatoes and he lost count of the bacon strips he ate along side it. But a blader's gotta eat. Especially with the nationals only a few weeks away. The two have decided on the _Saint Beast_ as their team name and weren't gonna change it no matter what.

"You certainly have a healthy appetite this morning, Zeo." Says his father coming into the dining room with the morning paper under his arm.

He spared Ozuma a glance, always wondering whom the young man is even though Zeo has told him a million times it never quite sticks. But it seems that the two of them are... dating as he's come to accept. Love. Another function that superceeded anything his hopes could ever expect.

"Dad, can Ozuma and me go to the dresser today to get some uniforms designed for the tournament?"

Harushige furrowed a brow at that. He doesn't see what uniforms have to do with blading since most of the ragga-muffins wore street clothes, but he did design a look for his son when he went after the Bladebreakers all those months ago. "Take your card with you. I'll tell Nishi you're coming."

"Alright!" Downing his orange juice after his excited outburst, he pulls the shorter male up from the table then drags him out of the room.

"Zeo seems to be in unusually good spirits this morning, sir."

Dr. Zagart only grunted in response, though, he is happy that his son is in a good mood.

The two teens leave the house in a hurry ready to hit the park for some free-lance blading. Every bit of practice counts in this thing, and they weren't about to miss a chance to blade with some of the very kids hoping to win a spot in this thing.

"I can't wait to get to Russia." Says Zeo. "Kai says Tala has a mansion with a pool and everything."

"Zeo, your house has a pool too."

Waving it off he says. "Yeah, yeah. But I've never swam in one that self heats."

_'True.'_ Agrees Ozuma.

"Then its off to China where we'll stay with Rei's cousin Lee. I've never been to the mountains before." He side steps a woman with a stroller.

"I grew up in that surrounding."

"Hm? Oh yeah." He throws an arm around him. "Then France, at a nice hotel- my Dad says he'll cover that- and then its off to New York with Max's mom and after that-..."

"Thailand. I know." He laughs at his boyfriend's unbridaled enthusiasm. But it really is exciting so he can be excited for the both of them he supposed.

"Yup, then back to Japan where we'll claim world victory." Raising a self boosted fist to the air, he shouts. "Nothing's gonna stop us!"

The two arrive at the park right then to see a swarm of bladers looking like a colony of ants with how they're moving about the space of the park, some blading and others watching, what a scene! The two of them take their blades out with a smile of chaos in their minds.

...

Head lowered, plate of cheese laced eggs and a buttered piece of toast with a side of fresh ground sausage Zeo Zagart says in a low voice. "Thank you."

"Its my pleasure. You're so thin, I thought about you all night. Can you stay for lunch and dinner? I know I can fatten you up in a short few days." She says offering the young boy another side of sausage which he gladly accepts.

"I really just wanna go home."

"Alright, tell me where you live and I'll drop you off."

"Baki Falls, Shinda."

"Shinda? Do you mean in Tokyo?" Asks the woman.

Zeo nods while slowly cutting at his breakfast taking uncertain bites like there may be something hidden in his food, but he got the same food made in the same pan as the woman's children so it seems fine- plus her kids have barely come up for air.

"You're a ways away from Tokyo young man. This is the country side- Hokkaido."

"Zeo. My name is Zeo, Miss."

Smiling she corrects herself. "Zeo. I can get you a plane ticket out there though, if you don't mind going it alone after that. I can't take any trips until my husband gets back."

"Yes, thank you. I can manage on my own."

"But how on earth did you get out here if this isn't your hometown?"

Zeo's eyes flickered back and fourth at the events that got him here, but he says to the woman. "We were moving and," with a shrug he adds. "I was left behind in the bathroom at a gas station. It wasn't on purpose, my parents thought that I was asleep in the back when they went in."

"My god that's awful! They've probably been looking for you for ages!" She seemed to be in a mental hussle from his little lie. "Well, you finish that up and I'll get you on the first flight out to Tokyo."

Scrunching in on himself, he eats his breakfast with a bit more vigor happy to hear the words 'home' used in a positive way.

"I tell you, I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my children." Says the woman, whose name he has yet to learn. "I'd cry a thousand tears if I never found them. I sure wish I could be there for the happy reunion between you and your parents."

_**'Will**_** it be happy?'** He wonders. '_I've been gone for ten years, do they even remember they had a son? Do they remember me at all? Have they been looking for me and figured I must be dead, since I haven't turned up... I guess, they've been suffering just as much as I have really. Yeah, I need to get home as soon as possible to make things better... to be safe... safe...'_ He nervously started rolling the back of his hair at the neck between his fingers at the root pulling a bit free... _safe..._ He continues to think.

Shiori left for the airport to pick up Zeo's ticket, taking her daughter Hava with her leaving him alone with her son Hideo. The two are in the living room watching a very low volume cartoon. At least Zeo is trying to, but Hideo keeps staring at him making him uncomfortable. Turning his blue gaze the boy's way, he opens his mouth to say something but closes it quickly when the boy perked up to hear what the strange once water-drenched child was going to say.

Visibly disappointed when nothing comes out, he asks. "How old are you?"

Zeo just looked at him real hard, then with a dry voice he says. "17. How old are you?"

Smiling, Hideo comes to sit closer to the stranger. "I'm 12. Your hair is really cool. I've never seen the color before."

Zeo said nothing, but he caught his self looking down at the young boy's crotch then he quickly snapped his gaze away, blinking hard to dispel the pictures running through his head. Compliments always came with contact. Scooching away from the younger boy, he curls farther into the embrace he has around his legs.

"Me and Hava are twins, did you notice?"

Zeo shakes his head.

"It's true... But to tell you the truth, I don't think we look anything alike- even though the doctor said if she cut her hair or I grew mine we'd be hard to tell apart."

"I'm going to the bathroom." He dashes upstairs into the room lended to him the other night. Alone, he sighs from the tension releasing from his chest. '_What's wrong with me? I'm not... like that... I would never touch that boy or __**anyone**__ for that matter. So then why did those thoughts run through my head?'_

Sniffling, he shakes away the urge to cry out, as he's hardening almost instantly. Needing a distraction, he goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth with a toothbrush that Mrs. Shiori says are part of the bundles she buys for when the others have over stayed their use.

Looking into the mirror Zeo begins to brush, finding it hard to do over the frown on his face but, clearing his throat he says, bits of tooth paste spatter out along with his words. "Mother, Father, I'm home." Shaking his head at how lame that sounded, he tries again. "Mom, Dad... I've missed you, and I never stopped believing that you'd come for me.. that you'd... save me."

But that's a lie. Two years in, and he was already on the verge of believing that the home he was dragged to would be his permanent residence. And to be honest, his parents didn't find him, he _saved_ his self and he brought his self home. Were they doing anything at all on their end? Will there be dated missing posters of him around Japan? Or has he been replaced with another missing child, a fresher one that people can ignore the sight of should the captive be allowed out of their prison; not at all something he was given the chance for.

The small room in that little house was his only visual for years and years, and years and years. Zeo didn't even realize he was beating at the mirror until the blood from his hand stained it in a big splatter mixed with little streaks that ran away from the whole.

Eyes wide, body trembling, he backs away from the mirror until he hits the wall. The shock of solid to his skin caused him to jump clean across the bathroom where he staggered into the tub, the shower curtain his only latching and its tugged it from its hooks giving him no support from popping his head against the other end of the small claw-foot tub.

He can hear his voice screaming for the man to stop shoving him under the water as gulps of it went down his throat without his concent, he writhed and struggled in the present just as he did back when the near drowning incident happened. The shower curtain fell down all around him making things worse, as he did black-out that time to wake up and find Kaihou- the man who took him, blowing air into his suffocated body. The look on his face when Zeo came to after _his_ horrible doing.

_'A little boy like you could drown bathing on his own. I'd better join you from now on.'_

"Zeo!" Someone is smacking him. "Zeo can you hear me?" Looking at her kids, she nods to the boy. "Hideo go and get me the first aid kit."

"Yes Mamma." Rushing downstairs as soon as the order was given.

"Zeo, come on sweet heart wake up?" She rocks the craddled boy back and forth. "What could he have been doing in there?" She wonders aloud.

Zeo began to cough as though water were exiting his lungs, he sits up instantly when he feels that he's in a laying position. Ready to run, he steadies his vision on the woman that had rescued him from the road. With a relieved sigh, she hugs the boy close, rocking him, planting unwanted kisses to his forehead.

"I'm so glad you're awake. What on earth were you doing in there?"

"I slipped." He explained.

"You slipped?" She couldn't believe her ears. This boy has been on his own for so long, he's become completely fragile to the world. '_A fourteen year old should never have been on their own for as long as he has. This boy is very lucky that I came along and found him or he might still be wandering- or worse!'_ Thinks the woman, mind made up now she says. "I've changed my mind, I'm gonna see to it that you get home myself. You're still obviously very frazzled from being on your own for so long."

Zeo nodded, dropping his head as he found his self holding tightly to the woman. He just wants this nightmare to be over.

...

The malcontent child had planned to stay up all night since they hit Tokyo and found a hotel to sleep in, but he couldn't keep his exhausted eyes open another second. Hideo and Hava were left at a neighbors while Mrs. Shiori made the trip with him. He was surprised when he woke up in the middle of the night with a soft gasp, as opposed to the scream the dream called for. Shiori is asleep in the next bed, and in between them is a phone.

_'Contact.'_ Thinks Zeo.

The phone seemed to grow right before his eyes as if saying 'you can't possibly ignore me now. Call your parents, Zeo. Call them and let them know you're coming home'. But the moment his hand landed on it, he withdrew it like he's been shocked. Looking at his mentally burned hand, he's wearing a scared yet curious expression.

'_I'm afraid to do it... I'm scared to call my own parents... What will they do when they see me? Will they cry? Will they hold me?'_ It was settled.

Slipping his feet into his sneakers, also something bought for him by Mrs. Shiori on top of a few clothes and pajamas, which thankfully, she didn't dress him in when he drifted off. He can't take the thought of another person touching him without his knowing of it. 

9 9 9

The sun is high in the sky blinding anyone dumb enough to look at water or white, which makes the clouds look remarkably clean and fluffy. It showed to be a beautiful day for anyone that left the house to enjoy it. Which is what made Tyson leave Kendo practice with his grandfather half way through when his friends came over, and Max just happened to have an ice cream cone in his hand. But instead of sharing with his boyfriend, as said boy suggests, Tyson demanded his own.

"I'm telling you, dude, I can eat that whole menu in one sitting." Says Tyson walking along the dirt road away from his house with his friends around him, minus Zeo and Ozuma who are with Dr. Zagart today dealing with something along the lines of uniforms? It was hard to remember what the guy had said, talking too much to make any sense with the start and finish of any sentence. "I just need to start with the frozen yogurts."

"Uh huh. Whatever you say Tyson." Says Rei casually trying to stay close to Kai.

The two of them have been acting really strange lately; their four other friends have noticed, but no one had the courage to say anything about it.

"Its true, Tyson and me once spent the entire afternoon over there just because he couldn't stop taste testing everything with a large waffle cone." Max helps his boyfriend brag.

"No one cares is what Rei meant." Says Kai out-of-the-blue, since he hadn't been speaking most of the day.

"Real funny. You know Kai, if you spent more time blading instead of mouthing off-..."

They all froze seeing Zeo walking up the street, head down looking like the world were ready to implode in on him.

Shiori will understand that he walked out on her, that he has to do this alone. Even if she did understand that he wanted to go alone, she would make him take a taxi which is out of the question for him, since being alone in a car with someone was the last thing Zeo ever wanted again. With food and drink in him from the other day, and half a good nights rest to top it off, he was more than capable of running off should anyone try anything funny as opposed to fleeing a car which was pretty tough when he was seven.

_'Mom, Dad I love you, please don't leave me alone anymore.'_ He thinks but shakes his head after a second thought. '_...I'm sorry.'_ Was all he wanted to get out before a familiar sting of dry tears hit his eyes.

"Zeo?" Says Tyson.

The bedraggled teen looks up at the sound of his name seeing a group of kids around his age, all staring at him like he's deranged. For all he's been through he may as well be.

"I thought you were gonna be at the dressers all day." His gaze went down to a large white square on the boys knee. "What happened to your knee?" Asks the Dragoon avatar looking down at the bandage.

Zeo hadn't realized he left for the trip in shorts. Backing away from the advancing stranger he shakes his head. "What are you talking about? Who are you?!" He really belts out the next part. "I don't know any of you, so leave me alone!"

"Don't know me? Z' its me Tyson." He shrugs. "Don't you remember me?"

"I said leave me alone." He continued to back away. "I don't want any trouble so just go away." His house is so close, why are these neighborhoodlums bothering him?

"Maybe he needs another check up." Says the blond kid. "You know like that last time."

A kid with two colored hair said something about him that made about as much sense as what the blond child said. All their unfamiliar voices swirled through his head making him angry. _'Why are they talking like they know me? Who are these people?'_

That's when it hit him. The posters! His name would be on every one. That means that his parents were-... shoving the strange teens aside he makes a mad-dash to his home, hearing them shout after him before following no doubt wanting to collect the reward. But who cares about that, his parents miss him and he's gonna give them the best gift in the world.


	6. Stand-In

**T**he front door closed with a loud thud as the young teen nearly slammed it shut after his entrance. Those boys are determined to get at him, so they can collect from his father. Turning the lock, he turns around to face the home, his gaze focusing on the strange new appearance of his house; the colors alone were a sight to see in the foyer, but beyond that the house was missing what it usually always had- sound.

_Where is everyone?_ He wonders while stepping further into the house, but he pauses before entering the living room.

An image of his young self runs by laughing gayly as his mother chases him for hugs and kisses, the two of them looking like a moving ocean with that blue hair atop their heads sweeping around with their every movement. The image faded and he moved on after shaking his head.

_My father might be in the study!_ Thinks the boy dashing through the living room into a hall. _Which way though?_ He looks left then right. Scratching his head in frustration he growls. _Remember, dammit!_ "Ah! Left!" He hurries down the hall into the office.

Stepping into the hall with curiousity plastered to his face, William asks. "Is someone there?" He takes another step down the thick walled hallway. "Master Zeo?" He peaks into the living room. "Strange. I could have sworn I heard the young master's voice." Shrugging it off, he turns an ear to the sound of banging before the door bell rang. "Coming!" He announced.

Zeo looked about the office, more images- ghost if you will- played hide-n-seek in there, tthough his father often told him not to. But inspite of that, the man always tickled him when he found him hiding where he knew the silly child would go. Stepping over to the desk, he reached for the third drawer where he would always hide a candy for his father when he was gonna be working long hours, and he told everyone not to disturb him.

Sliding it open, he smiled when he saw a bag of the very same strawberry candies he would leave in there. Taking one from the open bag that seemed to be offering him a 'Welcome Home' present, he unwraps it as he leaves the room then pops it into his mouth and continues down the hall.

_Mom is bound to be in the music room, she loves singing while I play._ He smiles. _I can still hear her voice so clearly._

Pushing a door open, he blushes seeing that its the meeting room he just walked into; chairs line a large table set before a projection screen, a bunch of papers are on the walls of things Zeo could never understand. Trying another door, he sees that the lab is there.

Twirling the candy over and over in his mouth with his tongue, he perks up remembering that his mother had her things set upstairs. But when he turned out of the living room to cross halls, he sees those four boys at the door with a man he doesn't know greeting their entry.

"Zeo!" Called the one kid with the navy blue hair.

_Not this again._ Coming further out into the front entrance of the home, he bares his teeth before saying. "I told you I'm fine, now leave me alone!" Dashing upstairs, to the first room he sees, he quickly locks the door after him; startled by the loud knock that came only seconds after he did this.

"Zeo! What's going on with you? Just open the door and we can straighten this whole thing out."

_What is this kid talking about? He's dellu-..._ he tries thinking of the word. _He's crazy!_ He declares not being able to find the correct word. "Go away! I don't know you! Not any of you! So leave me alone!"

"But we're your best friends." Says one of the other boys, he sounded a bit stuffy but he spoke in such a happy tone it almost made him wanna believe it. "Just get lost! I don't know you! ...I want my parents not a bunch of idiots."

"Idiots?" Says the first boy who seems to be a bit of a talker. "That little jerk-" banging on the door again, he shouts. "Open this door Zeo! This isn't funny."

The four of them stagger back when they hear a loud bang come from the bedroom side of the door.

"Can we go now? Something is bothering Zeo and he doesn't want our company, we should respect his decision... he'll come to us when he's ready to talk." Says Kai.

"What, you mean like last time?" Mocks Tyson. "Incase you failed to forget, Zeo kept us in the dark about him up until we found out on our own..." he lowered his voice. "I just..." he sounds sad. "I just don't want it to be like last time. I think we should get it out of him before it gets out of hand again."

Pressing his ear to the door, he frowns. _They're worse off than I thought._ Thinks the young teen.

Backing into the room, he looks around then smiles when he sees that at least one thing in this house hasn't bedroom is just as he remembers it, with the minor exception of a few add ons.

_Why would they put such weird posters in my room?_ He wonders looking at them. One of them has a beyblade on it. _I remember that game... I wanted to play it so badly that I would do anything to get one. Mom sent me one for my birthday, wish I'd remembered to bring it with me when I went to see her- now what did I call it? Something French if I'm not mistaken._ Another poster had him suck in a breath from shock because on it are the very boys that are standing outside of his room right now. _Is that it? They wannt beyblade with me? How do they even know I have one?_

Walking around a bit more, he touches this little thing and that, stuff he's sure shouldn't be there, and wondering how and why it was put there. But when he stopped before a tack board that never existed in his room, his blood ran cold because covering it are pictures of those four boys. Blading, just sitting around and smiling at the camera, two of them have Ozuma in them!

_Ozuma... Did he do this? Are they his friends, and he told them about me? I barely remember him but I know he was my bes-..._

Tearing a picture from the cork board, he began to tremble as his face smiled up at him. He has an arm around Ozuma while the other boys are pulled in close for a nice picture perfect moment.

_How can I be in thi-...?_ His hand came up to his mouth but it was too late as vomit spilled out a bit onto the carpet.

Rushing to the bathroom he deposited the rest into the toilet, messy hands holding onto the seat as he eased his stomach from the endless fluids. But once he calmed down to single spits, he whimpered into a scream. His dry tears choked out through a hollow, stinging throat.

"What's going on!?"

...

"Not bad, huh?" Says Zeo looking at himself in the mirror at the fitters.

His hands smooth down the clean white of his new uniform. It looks a bit like his training uniform with the jacket and all but the colors are a bit more Saint Shield style with the orange in place of the purple, and red in place of the blue.

Ozuma snickers at how cute his boyfriend looks. "You look good but Zeo... I just don't think this uniform thing is for me. What's wrong with what I'm wearing everyday to blade in."

Dr. Zagart would have split ages ago if he didn't bring piles of his work to do while waiting on his son and his friend to make up their minds about what they want to wear. It is nice to see that Zeo hasn't soured about beyblading, even after all that's happened. He really had to give it to those boys, though, if they hadn't wanted to remain Zeo's friends he probably would have once again lost his son, but as Tyson Granger said, it wouldn't matter if he were human or a simple vaccuum he's still here and that's good enough for them and its good enough for him too.

"What do you think father? Good looking guys aren't we?"

"Zeo just decide so we can get back home, and get your things sorted out for the trip. I'm sure William has made lunch by now."

"That's my dad's way of saying not too shabby." He grinned at Ozuma. "We'll take them, okay." He says to the family dresser.

"Very good. That will be 3,200 for the pair."

Zagart took out his credit card to give to the man, looking down at the floor when his buzzing cell phone dropped to the thin carpeted floor. "Hm?" Picking up the phone he sees that the number is his house. Flipping it open he asks. "Yes, what is it?" Knowing that it couldn't be anyone other than William.

"Uh, Sir, is master Zeo with you?" He whispered into the phone.

"Zeo. You know that he is, why?"

"Then I really think you should come home right away."

"We were just about to leave now, why? What's the emergancy? Did something in the lab explode again?"

The man made a garbled sound. "Well, something is about to blow up. I would really rather not do this over the phone, sir. So please hurry."

Agitated with how vague his hired help was being, he hangs up the phone. "Let's go Zeo. We have to get home."

"Huh?" Surprised at his father's sudden anger. He starts to undress. "Alright."

William hangs up the house phone then looks down at the young master who is sitting on the couch face in hands, trying to cry through his confused hysterics. William doesn't know what's going on. And Master Zeo seems to only be calling for his father refusing to talk to anyone else.

He already had those four boys sent home for him thinking that this young master was HIS young master, but he is infact... He can't even really say it himself, he just hopes that this doesn't end up the kind of thing where lives are scarred for life.

"Eh, would you care for something to eat master Zeo?"

Zeo shakes his head, the miserable look not leaving his face for a second. _It doesn't make any sense. How could I be in those pictures with people I don't even know, doing something I can't even remember doing? Did I lose my memory and and I got out a long time ago... Did I live this life, and just now remembered where I live- like when I couldn't remember where the rooms were. No, that can't be right, then what about Mrs. Shiori... unless I was dreaming._ He grabbed his head, whimpering again.

William was losing his mind a bit himself, hands worrying a napkin to thin threads. Its been a half hour where are they? Just then the front doors push open and in walks Dr. Zagart. To William the air became so still it was almost frightening that atmosphere could make such absolute silence, things seemed to go from normal speed to instant slow the very moment those doors came open.

Zagart, who had yet to register anything came further into the house, face set to glare when he asks. "What was so urgent that you had to-..."

Zeo's eyes filled with tears just from hearing his father's voice. He popped up from the chair as if he were on fire, running directly into the mans arms yelling- "Father!" Before his words became a garmbled, muffled, whimper within the man's chest as the young teen cried.

Harushige stood blinking, dazed and dumb-founded as to whom this is, but as his arms raise up and wrap firmly around the child; his lips can only speak one name. "Zeo."

Walking into the house, smile on his face, Zeo slows down when he spots a set of arms wrapped around his father in a tight grip, morely surprised that his father seems to be hugging this person back. Stepping closer he jumps from start when William grabs him on the shoulder.

"Master Zeo, let's get you a snack. You must be famished after being out all day with nothing to eat." His voice was shaking trying to do damage control.

"Huh?" Squeaks said boy pulling his shoulder away.

"I was so scared!" Zeo's scream was muffled by his father's chest.

It sounded like crying was impossible for this boy, as his breaths sucked in sharp around a hollow throat. Cyber Zeo, for some reason, could not get his feet to move any closer. It was as if they were nailed down. William reclaims his shoulder, again, trying to pull him into the other hall and as far away from the living room as possible.

"Zeo. Zeo my son." Zagart says hugging the child closer, more firmly, as if this dream would somehow end right then and there if he let him go for even a second.

Zeo's face ghosted over unable to believe that he heard what his father just said. Taking a few wobbling steps forward he stands just a bit beside his father trying to look around him to see the face of this voice that sounds a bit like his own, except a good pitch lower maybe.

"Dad?" Zeo says, finding his voice.

Harushige, who snapped out of his dream world, looked down and to the side as if he could see his son, his _other_ son. "Zeo... go to your room." He says quietly.

Zeo sniffles before pulling back a bit. "What? Why? I missed you father, didn't you miss me even a little bit?" His face puckers up again as more tears spill out.

"Dad... Who is...?"

"I said go to your damn room!"

Confused at where all this anger is coming from, fleshen Zeo asks. "Where's Mom? You're not making any sense." He sobs.

"Dad, who is this?" Asks Zeo beginning to panic now.

"Not you! Dammit Zeo, just listen to me!" The man finally snapped. This was all too much for him. How can his son, his dead son, be standing in his living room hugging him, crying on him when the police said he burned in that car?!

"Father please, its really me... How can you be so mad?" When pulling away from the man, taking a few steps back to look up at him, still somewhat short after all these years, his vision finally caught sight of the mirror in the room beside his father.

Blinking in shock, Zeo tries to compose his self and moves past the man to look at his reflection. Cyber Zeo is doing much of the same. "Who are-...?"

Like identical twins they reach out for one another, but fleshen Zeo's reach is a bit quicker, touching the boy's twin face. Gasping he pulls it back like a snake came for his finger tips when he feels that what he is seeing isn't his imagination playing tricks on him. It seemed that his whole body began to shut down on him, as he trembled into a fit; hands covering his ears, eyes closed, legs backing him away he begins screaming.

"How could you!?" He backs a little further away from his advancing father. "How could you!?"

More horrified than his first son, Harushige reaches out for him voice low and different. "Zeo it's not what you think."

"You and mom didn't miss me at all! You just had another son and forgot all about me. You replaced me! I hate you!" He cried. "I hate you both!" When the back of his legs hit the coffee table he took off running blind.

Last thing he heard was 'Zeo watch out' before he smacked into a wall and collapsed.

_He told him he could cry until he died for all he cared. Zeo was shoved into a bedroom in a cozy little cabin in the middle of who knows where, and when the man left he heard the television turn up to a ridiculous volume to tune him out. Which like any child only made him scream louder. Zeo didn't understand any of it, he didn't understand what was going on, he just knew that he was not in a good place and he was not going to see his mother and father until he figures out what happened._

_Crawling to the door, he pulls it open then looks down the hall at a set of stairs. It would never work. Going back into the bedroom, he closes the door then walks over to the window to pull the curtains over._

_Sniffling when he sees that its been boarded up, he pulls the curtains back over._

_"Mommy, Daddy." His sobbing continued until he fell asleep right there on the wooden floor._

Zeo shot up in bed, breathing hard. Eyes scanning the place for his captor, he falls back onto the pillow seeing his bedroom. Blinking, he turns his head to the door where he can hear the faint sound of voices coming from downstairs.

"Master Zeo?" Says that butler he doesn't know from the other side of the bed.

Startled, he nearly exits the bed to get away from him but William held fast to his elbow.

"Let me go!" He shouts, completely hating contact with people unless he issued it.

Doing as he's told, William puts up his hands in defense. "My apologies. Master Zeo, things have gotten complicated since your disappearance, would you please hear your father out when he arrives."

Scrunching tightly into a ball he lays down, facing the man, so that he doesn't try anything funny. "There is nothing to be understood, my parents replaced me... they had another kid and forgot all about me... I'm nothing to them anymore."

"If I may say something on their behalf, they did not forget about you Master Zeo."

The boy only teared up, sniffling again.

"He's right Zeo." Says his father at the door. When his son turned around, sitting up, he walked further in sitting down sideways on the bed so he can face him.

"Where's Mom?"

"There are so many things that I must tell you but first... I have to know what happened to you." His eyes well with tears. "I've missed you for so long that... I've gone through extreme measures just to have you with me... even a little."

He holds the boy, feeling sick when his small thin body slightly moves away when just moments ago he clutched him as though he were the only thing to hold onto on a slippery moutain side made completely of ice.

"Sir, shall I tend to the other young master?"

"That won't be neccessary, I've sent him to his friends house." Looking at his son as he speaks, not wanting to take his eyes from him another minute. "Will you leave us alone William I want to speak with him in private."

"Of course, sir." The man stood then with a bow says. "Its nice to have you home master Zeo."

With eyes plastered on his departure, he leaves the room closing the door quietly after him.

Taking his son's hands, Zagart pulls him closer, holding him with his other arm.

"I never thought this day would come, Zeo. I never thought I would see you until I met with my own end."

Zeo is frozen within his fathers grip. No words come from him as he thinks of that other boy downstairs. Who is he? And why was he shouting at him to go to his room, so he could tell this other boy something secret that he wouldn't get to know? He thought his mother couldn't have children. Were there two miracles? Do they love him more?

_Of course they love him more, I'll bet they kept him safe no matter what... And me... they just..._

"Zeo? Zeo please listen to me."

Blinking from his thoughts his face scrunched in anger as he prepared to shove his very missed father away from him, for loving another more than him. But the man only held him harder, crying, as he rocked them back and forth. In all his six years of growing up he's never seen his father cry, not even that time he burned his shoulder in the lab fire. But he cries now.

"Fa- father..." He holds him back.

"You must tell me what happened, Zeo. I must know where you've been all these years."

"I was so scared..." His expression, his voice cried but no tears fell this time.

"I know you were scared- I was terrified for ten years remembering that day the police came to my home telling us that the limo was found on the road completely smashed in, that you and Idol burned to death with the driver."

Zeo tensed up hearing the last part, but then the words actually sank in and his eyes widened in confused fear. _A fire? They thought that-...? That I was dead?! ...That's why they didn't come for me... That's why they don't know..._

"But all this time you were alive, where were you? Where did you go?" He questions hoping this isn't too much for the boy on his first day back.

He must be so scared, and relieved but to have him see Zeo right off the bat like that. He really wished William would have said something about this over the phone, but then he supposed he wouldn't have believed him, probably would have given him his walking papers for being sick enough to even say such a thing. But its true. Zeo is back, he can touch him, talk to him, love him just as he had when he was a boy.

"Zeo?"

"He took me Dad... Kaihou. We were driving to the airport to meet Mom in France when..." His eyes glaze over when the flash back of that frightening day came back to him.

_The limo is on its way to the airport to drop Zeo off as it does any time he visits his mother when she's away. But something changed, the car pulled onto the other side of the road and stopped right in the middle of it. Zeo leaned forward in his seat looking out the open window._

_**What's going on?**_** He wonders.**

**Hearing the car door open then close he watches as Mr. Kaihou walks around to his side of the car pulling the door open on arrival.**

**"What's the matter Mr. Kaihou?" He asks, confused and a little scared.**

**He's never seen the man look so dazed before- almost like he were trying to think about something else while doing what he's doing.**

**"Did we get a flat?"**

_Without a word the man reaches into the car grabbing young Zeo by the legs pulling him roughly from the car. Scared, he begins to kick at Kaihou's arms and hands to free him. Why is he acting so strangely._

_"Let me go! Somebody help me!"_

_But there are no other cars in sight. Idol yapped away nipping with its tiny teeth at the man just to be picked up and chucked to the back of the car where it whimpered then stopped moving._

_"Why did you do that?" Shouts Zeo looking at his injured dog._

_"You're coming with me you little wretch."_

"We switched cars after that... He took me to a cabin and..." He trailed off lowering his gaze, ashamed.

Holding him tightly, this time out of anger he says. "Kaihou... that bastard. I never thought anything of it when he would look at you." Teeth clenched, he felt tears for another reason this time. "I can't believe I let this happen to you Zeo, I am so sorry."

Zeo wanted to throw up again from the way his father is snuggling into him, but he holds him trying very hard to convince his self that he does love him, he thought he was dead because the police told him that. His father would never leave him alone with anyone...

"But how did you get away? Who found you?"

"We were switching locations, he was on the phone with some woman... I'm pretty sure he called Mio."

"...Mio...?" _It couldn't be the same woman? It couldn't be the same Mio that signed up to be my lab assistant._ But he knew better than to believe anything else. The person who masterminded this whole thing was that woman. Dr. Mio Kay- or as her name lies Dr. Mio Kaihou. It was time for some answers and he _will_ get them.

"Father, please don't ever leave me alone again." He looks into the mans eyes. "I was so scared..."

"You don't have to be afraid anymore son. I'll never let anything happen to you ever again." He grips him tighter if that were possible. "But how did you get back to me?"

"When we were moving, the door to the truck popped open and I ran... a woman found me and I stayed with her in Hokkaido.. but not for long, she wanted to bring me home right away." He looks down guilty. "I left her at the hotel, I had to come home, I didn't wanna wait anymore!"

Dr. Zagart made sure to mental note to find this woman and pay her back properly for her kindness. But for now he doesn't want to leave his son's bed-side.

"But father... about that boy?"


	7. Many Questions, Few Answers

**H**ead bowed; Zeo walks along the empty streets with tears marking his path until they disappeared into the ground as though never having been there at all. His father's words are still fresh in his mind as he takes a corner a few paces up ahead.

_"Dad? Was that really Him?" He questioned watching the stairs as if he expected the boy to come down them and catch him in the act- of doing what though? Talking to his own father?_

_"Zeo don't make this hard." Says the man with tightness in his voice. "...This is... this is the greatest thing that could ever happen right now and..." His gaze drops to the floor. "Please just go to your friend's house for a while. There are things that my son and I have to discuss, things he needs to know and..."_

_"You can't do it with me here. I understand." Lowering his eyes as well, he sighs. "I'll... go."_

Sniffling, Zeo wiped a hand across his eyes. _It isn't so much that he sent me away but __**how**__ he sent me. He called me by my name, but he referred to him as __**son**__. How can I compete with that? How can I..._ Dropping to his knees he let the tears stain his face and hands. His sobs are so sudden- so violent it almost sounds like screaming. _How can I go home?! How can I sleep soundly at night!?_

"Yo little hommie." Says a familiar voice. "What'cha doin' out here all by your lonesome?"

Looking up a bit shocked that he'd find, well, be found by the elderly yet youthful male. Seeing the sobbing child look up at him, Grandpa Granger smiled with a chuckle before helping him up.

...

"There you go." He hands the boy a cup of fresh made almond tea.

Taking a seat on the couch, he watches the boy sip his drink, tears still in his eyes. He wondered what could make the child so upset as to have an outburst right there on the streets. Tyson actually came home pretty upset his self about something, he kept on saying the little dudes name with such snide; and seeing Zeo here crying like this the two must be having a fight.

Good thing he's out with the others at the arcade. Max successfully lured him away by suggesting it; even though Tyson agreed, he walked out of the house saying that he wasn't gonna let the matter rest. But knowing his grandson, playing a few games might help to calm him down.

"Wanna tell me what's this big fight going on between you and Tyson?" With a warm smile he goes on. "If its about love than might I suggest rethinking it, best friends ain't worth smashing for a little skin mashing." He broke into a fit of laughter.

Cocking a brow, Zeo wondered just what the heck the old guy is talking about, though, its nice that he's able to be so open with them seemingly about anything. Love wasn't something he was really sure he wanted to discuss with him. Heck he didn't even know what reason he could be bringing relationships up for.

"So come on what's this fight all about?" Casting a gleaming eye on him, he presses. "Or do I have to tickle it out of ya? Ah heh heh heh."

Thinking over everything the man is saying, he just can't seem to figure out what he's talking about. So instead of furthering his confusion he sticks with a simple. "Huh?"

"Tyson came home ranting something terrible about you. So come on, what'd you guys have a fight about?"

"Mr. Granger-..."

"Grandpa." The man corrects.

With a single nod, he corrects his self. "Grandpa, I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been with Ozuma and my Dad all morning."

"Really? So then why did the little dude keep shooting your name off like a pistol?" He wondered to himself aloud.

"...Oh." He says the situation making itself clear to him. "Tyson must have met Him and thought it was me."

"Whose He? And why would Tyson think it was You? Something's just not adding up here." He crosses his arms.

"Grandpa... You know about me right? About my being... well... _different_ from everyone else."

"Sure! But even though you came into this great big world of ours a little differently doesn't make you different. You've just got a heart of steel in my book."

A faint smile on his cheeks he looks down into his cup of brown tea. "Thank you for that, it means a lot to me, especially now."

"Huh?"

"Hm." He intoned. "Never thought I'd be the one telling this story, but... Grandpa, the reason I was created... The reason my Dad didn't tell anyone... is because the boy you see right here before you, is a real person. His _real_ son met with a terrible accident when he was seven and... he's been pronounced dead by the police. My father was devistated by this, greiving for a very long time until one day he went into the labs, and there he made me. He told me all of this his self."

"I see."

"But as it turns out, Zeo was not dead, he's very much alive! ...And he's in my house right now..."

"That is some serious weight you've had brought down on you. But why aren't you at home trying to get to know him?"

_Get to know him?_ Zeo looked bewildered. _I haven't even thought of where I'm gonna stay tonight while he and my Dad-..._ He bit back tears again.

Seeing this, the man's face softened. "Its been a long time since Tyson had anyone sleep over- come to think of it, it'd be kinda nice to have someone see to it that T-dawg brushes his teeth before bed. I swear that kid skips out on it every chance he gets."

Realizing what the man is saying, Zeo tears up again before lunging from the chair, cup thankfully landing on the coffee table before he throws his arms around the man. "Thank you, Grandpa! And I won't be a burden. I promise."

"Not at all. Let's go get you settled in."

9 9 9

With a loud thud of the sliding door into the dojo Tyson raised his head as if to make his voice carry a bit further as he shouted. "Grampa! I'm hoome!"

Sliding the door shut with just as much vigor as it had been opened, he takes in a deep wiff of something being fried.

"Oh boy!" Dashing down the hall towards the kitchen he's licking his lips already. "Grampa must already be starting lunch."

Running his hands together with eagerness, he opens the kitchen door, ready to announce his arrival once more, until he sees a certain blue haired friend of his standing by the stove stirring rice.

"Okay... just what are you doing here, you traitor!" Balling up his fist at his sides, he glares. "You'd better have come to apologize."

"Tyson!" His grandfather called out from beside him.

Not seeing the flying wooden sword coming, Tyson is whacked over the head; his hat acting as a well-enough helmet, taking away the amount of pain he would have gotten during training with out it. Grabbing his head in pain, he squints an eye open at his also glaring grandfather who is holding the wooden sword lax over his shoulder.

"What _gives_ Grampa? Are you trying to put me in the hospital or something?"

"Stop being mean to your friends! This boy is going through something right now, and you're not making it any better on him." The old man bent over nearly shouting at his grandson.

Taken aback, Tyson continued to rub his head as he straightens up. "Alright, alright. No need to chew my head off." Walking over to the stove. "Look Zeo, even though you were acting like a creep, I'll let it slide since you were upset about something."

Remembering what Mr. Granger had said, Zeo simply nodded and let Tyson continue to believe he'd done whatever it was that fleshen Zeo has done to him. He wondered for a moment if he should tell any of them. Its not like he could hide it for too long anyway, because odds are his father will go public with it and want justice brought down on whomever had taken the boy- if anyone, he could have managed to get out of the car before that truck hit it. And since he was seven at the time, he was unsure of where he was and he could have just been lost. Its a possibility.

"Whoa! Hey Zeo, snap out of it dude!" Tyson takes the spoon and handle of the pot moving the rice to another stove top. "You're gonna burn the rice."

Snapping out of his thoughts, he looks over at Tyson then blinks away the confusion. "I'm... sorry."

Hearing a large gape of sadness in the male's voice, his eyes soften. "Hey listen, I'm not sure what's going on with you but, you know you can always talk to me or any of the guys."

Nodding, he tenses when Tyson touches him on the shoulder. _I never thought about it until now. This might... this might be the last time that I see any of them. Max, Kai, Rei, Tyson... Ozuma..._ Looking at Tyson's hand, his face scrunched with the sign of tears. _I haven't even gotten to say good bye to any of them- would he even have let me?_

"Zeo?"

"Tyson I..." Wrapping his arms around his friend, he hugs him tightly. "I'm gonna miss you so much."

"Huh? Where are you going? Competition is still a ways away; and at first you're sad, but then you're having such a blast you don't even realize it."

_Ha. There isn't gonna be any competition for me; once Zeo and my dad talk, he'll wait for me to come home and he'll shut me down- perminantly. After all, wasn't I just created to fill in his pain, be his son's replacement? A simple stand-in until the star gets over their stage fright or flu. Well I can't let that happen, I'm gonna stay away from my home forever. Then maybe he'll think twice about getting rid of me._

"Not that I mind the sentiment, but this is getting kind of awkward." Says the Dragoon wielder before pulling away.

"Zeo's gonna be staying over for a while." Says grandpa plating up lunch for the three of them. "I made him a bed in your room."

"Oh?" Seeing food his mind went from questions to a loud chant of 'hungry, hungry, hungry'.

Taking a seat, he sniffs in a good whiff of the food then grabs his chopsticks to dig in. Seeing Zeo still standing, blank look on his face, he swallows his bite then says.

"Come on Zeo, get it while its hot. Grandpa may not be all there, but he really knows when fish is ripe for the buying."

"What are you talking about- 'not all there', let's not forget who buys you all those midnight snacks you've been munching on."

"Alright, alright."

_Do Zeo and my dad have this kind of relationship? Is he a needy child who'll never let me exist as long as he's around? Does he need this time to be alone with him, since he's missed so much of it? I've read his diary and he's always been so nice and understanding, at least... he was. What is Zeo like now?_ Walking over to the table, he pulls out his seat then sits down. Picking up his chopsticks, he grabs a bite of food but doesn't eat it, he instead lets it sit in the air before his mouth. _Could he share? Could he like me? His reaction to me was about as well as mine was to him. I want to meet him, but now that the chance has come up... I'm not even sure I do anymore._

"Zeo?" Says Tyson. "Do you wanna talk?"

Looking at Tyson, he's unsure of his own movements as he nods to the question...

Earlier at the Zagart home.

"Father? Who is he?" Asks the teen, sad eyes almost fixated on the man.

"...All this time, it was Kaihou who had you." The man says to his self, though, hearing the boy's words as if he would never again miss another one of them.

But he can't get over the fact that his trusted driver, of many many years, would kidnap his son and never ask for ransom. What were his motives? And how does Mio Kay play in to this? He needs answers, and he had better get every single one of them answered.

Reaching out, he grabs the man's shoulder, squeezing it mostly for himself to be comforted by. He swore that if he woke up in that cabin tomorrow he would let his self die, there was no going back there after having such a vivid dream as coming home; touching his father, and talking to him. Hugging him, and being hugged in return for what felt like hours. He has yet to find out where his mother is.

"Father?"

"Nadaline, I have to call her."

"Is mom in France?"

"Yes, Zeo. Your mother moved away from here after the divorce."

Blinking in confusion, his face then turned into the look of fear. "Why did you get a divorce? Did she blame you for what happened to me?" He questioned. "Please tell her it wasn't your fault, tell her to please come home and see me." He looks down at his lap tear swollen eyes not ready to give anymore liquid for one day. "I miss her so much. I wanna have dinners together again as a family, I wanna go out to shops and laugh like we used to." Placing a hand on his father's, feeling and speaking as though he's seven all over again he smiles faintly as he says. "I wanna play for you guys, and listen to mom make up words while you laugh at how silly we are. Father? Don't you want that?"

Looking up at his son, tears in his blue eyes he says. "More than anything." Looking away, he swallows down a dry throat full of grief. "But there are things you must know, changes that have occured."

Nodding, he says. "Like that boy."

"Yes."

Glad they've gotten back to his question he again asks. "Who is he father? And why does he look like me, not just a little bit but a lot!"

"He's... He's _you_ son."

"...I don't understand."

Chest heavy, he grabs the boy's hand giving it a squeeze. "I grieved over your death since I found out about it. I wanted to die right along with you, but I... I couldn't hurt your mother with more pain. The two of us cried every night to the point of constantly butting heads with one another."

Reaching over, he wiped his father's tears with his hand.

"You were our everything Zeo- _everything_! Without you... the both of us were torn people. I missed you so much that I went down into the lab and began to work, I worked and worked until my hands bled, and my eyes dried from never sleeping,,, and by the time I was done I looked at what I'd created. It was _you_ Zeo, a hollow shell of your appearance. I needed it so much that I often found myself hugging the puppet, but I needed more. I brought it to life with my work, and he lives now."

Gasping from such a statement, he looked at his father uncertain of how to react to such a thing. His father's grief was so over whelming that he cloned him?! And this clone has been living his life as his stand-in? _A cyborg? This just can't... be true._ "Father-..."

"It took so many failed attempts to get it right, but I finally did it. Your mother was disgusted in me, and left me soon after... saying that I was sick and couldn't just let your memory be loved. That I sullied it with my need for experimenting, but it isn't true. My creating you was an extent of my love, it was never meant to insult you my son." Looking him in the eyes, he asks. "Please, do you understand how much I care for you?"

Slowly, he nods... but his body doesn't speak for his mind as he runs over what his father has said to him. _This living puppet, has replaced me, stole my name and lived my life- took my love, and distroyed my family. How can I forgive someone like that- no not someone some __**thing**__._

"I'm so glad that you're home Zeo. So very happy... Please, anything that you want, anything that you need just tell me and its yours."

"...I want to meet him. This boy, I want to meet him." 

0 0 0

"Don't forget to brush Tyson." Snickers Zeo fluffing the blanket for him to shimmy underneath.

"Say what?" He pulls the blanket down to peer over the side of the bed at Zeo who is on a spare futon beside him. "Now Grampa's got my friends doing his dirty work for him."

Still snickering as the male gets out of bed, he turns over onto his side snuggling in. "Try not to wake me when you come back in; I like to hit the hay the minute all my nightly chores are done."

"Yeah, I'll hit something." Mutters Tyson in mock anger. Going down the hall, he grabs his toothbrush and loads it up to start brushing.

Cracking his eyes open, Zeo looks sad once more. Its hard to keep a good mood when all he can see is his father hugging his real son. All he can hear is the man shouting at him to go to his room, until his son fainted.

Shaking his head, he tries to smile. _I should be happy that he's back. I was so miserable not long ago thinking about how sad it was that Zeo died at such a young age, but now he isn't dead. He's home now and he'll be safe from whatever dangers took him. Hhhnnn- yeah right, Zeo. How can I be happy for someone whose about to steal my life? This is all too complicated to think about._

Turning his face into the pillow, he rubs it back and forth as if to wipe it all away in one good rub. Startled when the door pushed back open, he looked down to see Tyson climbing into bed with a sigh.

"Happy?" He continued to tease him.

"The air thanks you more than I do." He laughed.

The two of them sat in silence for a good while, until Tyson rolled over onto his back, hands behind his head, gazing up at the ceiling. "So that's it then? You're just gonna dismiss what you did earlier."

"Tyson... I'm sorry about that." He lied for a minute but then changed his mind. What's the point in lying to one of the only people he has in life now. "Tyson, the reason I was acting weird this morning is because it wasn't me."

"He sure looked like you- sounded like you too... well, a pitch lower maybe but he still sounded like you. And unless you've got some creepy secret twin then-... Huh?"

"I said that he's my Dad's _real_ son. Zeo."

Confused, he sits up propping himself on a side angle with his elbow. "What _real_ son?"

"That night I had changed so all of a sudden on you guys is because of what my Dad told me about myself, that I'm not like everyone else. He told me the reason I was born- created," he regretedly corrected his self. "Is because the real Zeo was killed in a car accident when he was younger, but it turns out that he wasn't and now he's home."

"Too freaky... That would explain why he didn't seem to know us. It must have really freaked him out that these guys he doesn't even know would chase him home."

"It must have." He says softly, though, not tired just sad.

After a second thought Tyson asks. "Is that why you're here? You're upset about this other kid being home?"

"Actually my Dad told me to come over," he mutters in continue. "So he can be all alone with his precious son." It actually startled him how much malice his voice had. "Sorry. This is my problem, I don't wanna bother you with it."

"But it isn't just your problem." He taps Zeo on the shoulder to get him to look at him. "You're sad and that makes me wanna cheer you up, no matter if I can help the problem itself or not."

"But I'm being unfair. Zeo has been lost for 10 years, and now he's finally back and he sees _me_," he looks down at his blanketed figure. "I can only imagine what he's going through right now. Asking about me. I'd be freaked out."

"I'd be beyond freaked out if I came home and saw two Grampa's or even another me. But... I don't know, if he were really important to Grampa then... I guess I'd wanna get to know him. We'd kinda be like twin brothers maybe."

_Like twin brothers?_ Thinks the blue haired child. _It would actually be kind of nice to have someone in that big house with me when Dad leaves for work and I'm alone, with no one to hang with but William but... Part of me... Part of me just doesn't wanna share him. Not my Dad... not this life... not anything._

Tyson watched as Zeo battled with himself mentally. He wondered which side was winning. "What are you thinking, dude?"

"Huh?"

He glanced at the Granger boy for a brief second but then turned his gaze away hiding his eyes within the dark parts of the room that shaded him from the moonlight coming in through the window.

"Truthfully, I'm at a fork in the road. On one hand my Dad might be really cool about me staying with him and Zeo, and I might eventually become brothers... But another part of me is saying that my Dad is happy with his son being back, and he's gonna..." It hurt to much to say out loud.

"Oh. I never thought about that." Hearing the shallow breaths coming from the sad boy he reached out to grab his shoulder for comfort. "Hey don't cry, you can stay here for as long as you need, but if your Dad does call and wants to talk to you, me and the guys will come with you and make sure he doesn't try anything suspicious. Okay Ze'?"

"Okay. Thanks Tyson."

Chuckling, he gives the guy's shoulder a squeeze before flopping down on his bed. "Let's get some sleep, then we can have all kinds of fun tomorrow- take your mind off of your troubles."

"Right." Pulling the blanket to his chin, he tucks himself into bed.


End file.
